THERE are often big statements made from pundits, agents and players before the start of a season.
Well, with the 2025 season just around the corner, leading rugby league agent Craig Harrison – of Show Me The Money UK – believes that the Goole Vikings “will take the world by storm” this year.
The Vikings, of course, are a brand new professional entity after years of plying their trade in the amateur game, and they took to the field for the first time in a 46-6 drubbing by Featherstone Rovers earlier this week.
Harrison, however, believes that Goole are led by someone who will be a “top coach” in the future in former Hull FC forward Scott Taylor.
Speaking on The Full Eighty Minutes podcast, Harrison said: “I watched Goole train ten days ago. They were fantastic.
“Scott Taylor, we can go back on this in a year’s time, will be a top level coach. There is one word you see in good coaches – I’ve seen it in football and rugby league: enthusiasm.
“You have got to have enthusiasm. You look at Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Wayne Bennett at nearly 80, Taylor was so enthusiastic putting his drills together. I think they could shock the world this year.
“I think they will be top four this year and may even go for it. When you look at the characters, I couldn’t believe Brett Ferres walked past me.
“The one that intrigues me watching them is Jamie Shaul. He is 31 and three or four years ago was bordering on being top three or four fullbacks in the country.
“He retired but came back because of his relationship with Scott Taylor. He looked red hot and he could score 20 or 30 tries on his own.
“I’m not being rude to the standard of League One, but if he is fit and they won’t be able to touch him.”
