MIDLANDS HURRICANES winger Matty Chrimes has another club record in mind after bettering Elliot Hall’s best for tries in a season.
Chrimes’ effort at former club Doncaster took him to 18, having previously equalled fullback Hall’s 17, set in 2019 (when the Hurricanes were Coventry Bears).
Midlands were beaten 44-16 at Doncaster, with Chrimes and Co knowing an improvement is required going into the play-offs.
And long term, the 28-year-old ex-Hunslet, Sheffield and Swinton player believes there is more to come from both Mark Dunning’s side and himself.
In the short term, Chrimes, who played under Dunning in the Bradford Academy, is concentrating on preparing for the play-offs, with the Hurricanes, who lost 56-20 at Newcastle on Saturday, when he went over twice, hosting North Wales this Sunday in their final regular-season game.
But looking further ahead, the man contracted to the end of 2028 and currently on 42 Midlands tries since joining during 2024 after previous loan stints, wants to get past Hayden Freeman’s 58 between 2016 and 2023.
Outside back Freeman, now 29 and playing rugby union for Birmingham side Old Saltleians, spent his entire Rugby League career at Hurricanes, who joined the professional ranks as Coventry in 2015 and rebranded to Midlands for 2022.
He is also the club’s record appearance maker with 115.
“I’d have swapped the tries for wins, but setting a club record for a season does mean a lot,” said Chrimes.
“At the moment, I am trying to play my part in making sure we do ourselves justice this year, because we know we can match any side, but looking further forward, the chance of setting a club career try record is certainly a motivation.”
Centre Ross Oakes has agreed a two-year contract extension.