WIDNES VIKINGS head coach Allan Coleman has revealed that the Cheshire club had “spoken to a number of other teams” before striking up with Warrington Wolves to be their dual-registration partners.
This afternoon, Widnes and Warrington announced the partnership, allowing players from the Wolves to move to Widnes during the season on dual registration, giving them the opportunity to receive more game time at the Vikings.
The clubs had begun a similar agreement back in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic impacted that campaign.
Head coach Allan Coleman said: “I’m really excited with the dual-registration, if you look through their squad, they’ve got some quality players and if they’re fully fit, we’re going to be offered exceptional players.
“The club had spoken to a number of other teams and obviously chose to go with Warrington which is fantastic for us.
“There are a lot of similar characteristics between the two clubs. Both clubs have got new coaches, obviously with Sam’s arrival there and I’m a new arrival at Widnes. We’ve also both brought new players in, so I think we mirror each other really well.
“We feel as though the strength in depth they have will be massive to us but it’s not just about players it’s about learning from each other.”
“They’ve also got a lot of young, up-and-coming players which excites me because the younger the better in my eyes.”
New Warrington head coach Sam Burgess believes that the partnership is important for both clubs.
He said: “This partnership is a big plus for both clubs. We are looking forward to working with Allan Coleman and his team.
“The partnership will provide our players with the opportunity to gain valuable first-team experience in a highly competitive league, whilst supporting a great club with a fantastic tradition in the game.”
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