JOE SHORROCKS won’t be wearing the number 13 shirt this season but he’s determined to become St Helens’ starting loose-forward.
Saints have the key role to fill following the departure of England star Morgan Knowles to the NRL’s Dolphins.
New coach Paul Rowley has a few options, including Australian World Cup winner David Klemmer, who was given squad number 13, and homegrown forward Jake Wingfield.
But Shorrocks, who has also played in the back row, at hooker and in the halves, was given the first chance there, starting Saints’ 40-10 pre-season win over Castleford Tigers.
Klemmer was instead a starting prop, in the absence of Alex Walmsley, and Shorrocks wants to hold down the role with a Challenge Cup trip to Workington Town next up on Friday.
“I want to play loose-forward, and Rowls knows that,” Shorrocks, who played under Rowley at previous club Salford Red Devils, told League Express.
“I don’t want to be known as a utility – I’ll do it for the team if I have to, but I want to be starting loose-forward at St Helens.
“We had Morgan Knowles here before me, who is a brilliant loose-forward. He plays the position differently to how I play it.
“I like to be more ball-playing, to be the link between the middles and the edges, and that’s how Rowls likes to play, so that’s what I’m going to do.”
Shorrocks, who began his career at Wigan Warriors, spent almost two years at Salford, leaving in August for Leeds Rhinos on loan amid the club’s serious financial issues.
“I was just made up to get out of that situation at Salford,” added the 26-year-old, who secured his move to Saints while on holiday.
“I wanted to get something over the line and as soon as I knew Rowls was getting the job at Saints, I was onto him straight away asking him to sign me. And fair play to him, he did.
“I was in Bali with my mate, talking to Rowls at about two in the morning on the phone. He was saying he couldn’t wait (to start), and I was the same.”