WIDNES VIKINGS coach Allan Coleman hopes the arrival of Australian duo Jake Maizen and Morgan McWhirter and the potential return of Mike Butt, Rhys Williams and Rhodri Lloyd will bolster his side’s bid to get their season back on track.
The Vikings were victorious in three of their first four league games – but with injuries biting, picked up only one win and a draw in the five which followed.
Widnes, in seventh, face a difficult trip to Bradford on Sunday, when they aim to bounce back from a 38-16 home loss to Featherstone.
And Coleman plans to involve former Halifax back Maizen, who was with Whitehaven last season, and utility forward McWhirter, whose commitments at French side Limoux ended with their play-off semi-final defeat at Albi.
Ex-Salford man Williams has scored nine tries in eight appearances while fellow Wales winger Butt has five in ten, while Lloyd brings experience to the second row.
“They’ll all give us a boost, because we’ve been very short of bodies and we’ve looked tired,” said Coleman.
“On top of that (halfback) Dec Patton and (forward) Lewis Hall are getting closer.
“But I won’t use injuries as an excuse, because all teams get them, and we have work to do in being smarter and more consistent.”
