George Lawler has seen more than most at Hull Kingston Rovers, despite being just 24-years-old.
The forward is the Robins’ longest-serving player, despite his youth, after having made his debut with the club in 2015.
During that time he has experienced heartbreak, relegation, promotion and everything in between.
Before the lockdown he was adapting to a new bunch of team-mates and a new squad, much younger than those he has seen coming through the ranks in previous seasons.
“I think the average age is about 24 now, which is obviously a lot different to what we’ve been used to,” he said.
“But it’s a great thing. Tony (Smith) said that if we keep trying the same things we’ll get the same results. So we’ve brought In a lot of new faces and it’s given everyone a lift. Then you’ve got Shaun Kenny-Dowall, who helps balance the team out.
“It was the right thing to do. It’s a balance really. We’ve had a few injuries, but the club is going in a good way. Everyone is signed up to two-to-three-year deals so that they’ll all still be here when they hit their prime years, so I think we’re heading in the right direction.
“A lot of the players we signed came from obscure places. You can look at Elliot Minchella, who was at Leeds six years ago and then played in the Championship ever since. But he’s been one of the shining stars for us. There are people in the Championship who, if given the chance at the right place, can make the step up and be successful.”
Lawler’s focus, like that of all of his peers, is on returning to the field.
When he gets that chance, he has vowed to be in top shape, after refusing to get into bad habits during an unexpected off-season.
“I’m one of those who sticks his head down and works as hard as I can; I’ve got to be like that.
“I’m one of those that looks at the game week by week. The main aim is that I’m fit and in the team. To maintain that you’ve to be as professional as you can be.
“I’ve been going on runs, I have a few weights at home I’ve been using, and I’m doing the odd bike ride. It’s easy to binge eat and have a drink here and there, but I’ve avoided it because we don’t know when we’ll be back and I don’t want to return in worse shape than when I left.”
