SWINTON LIONS coach Alan Kilshaw wants to help Dec Patton make a return to Super League.
The halfback played 88 times in the top flight for his hometown club Warrington between 2015 and 2020, and ten for Salford in 2021 before dropping into the Championship with Bradford Bulls.
Kilshaw signed him in October while settling into the hot seat following his move from Hunslet, and he has been delighted with the 28-year-old’s contribution so far.
Swinton have sealed a place in the 1895 Cup quarter-finals by winning 40-12 at North Wales Crusaders, where Patton scored a try and kicked six goals from seven attempts, and 18-6 at home to Widnes, when he was successful from the tee three times out of four.
And Kilshaw told League Express: “Dec has been outstanding, on the field and off, ever since moving here.
“It’s also worth keeping in mind that like (ex-Salford back) Rhys Williams, he has transitioned from being a full-time player to combining his rugby with a job, and that can take some adapting to, physically and mentally.
“We have tried hard to help the pair of them manage that as easily as possible, and Dec looks to be enjoying his rugby.
“For whatever reason, he stepped out of Super League, but he’s an experienced bloke who played in two Grand Finals and won a Challenge Cup Final, and I certainly think he has it in him to get back up there.
“There’s always a need for quality halfbacks at any level, and he is certainly that.
“Hopefully he’ll keep playing well for us and make other clubs sit up and take notice and perhaps he’ll get another crack at it somewhere.
“That would be great, and if that were to happen, we’d lose a player, but it would provide real satisfaction that we’d helped him get back to a standard he’s capable of playing at.”
