Last updated at 11:41, Friday, 03 August 2012

Workington Town have beefed up their pack by signing Salford City Reds prop Adam Walne, 21, on dual registration forms.

Adam Walne

Walne has been knocking on the door of the Reds first team and comes highly-recommended by former Town prop Adam Sidlow, now a regular member of the City Reds Super League side. He joined Salford from amateur outfit Leyland and, after an excellent season in 2011, went full-time when joining the first team squad this year.

“All the time I’ve been involved at Workington Town, we have run out of players by the end of the season,” said chairman Dave Bowden. “We are light on numbers within the squad and need a few to strengthen in case of injuries.

“We have just 18 fit players. We’ve built-up very good relationships with Super League clubs and will be looking to further strengthen numbers before the deadline on August 10.

“We don’t want to pick up a few injuries and then find ourselves short of players. Dan Rooney and Jonathan Dawes, established first-teamers, are injured and we can’t afford to lose many more.”

“Our first choice is always to look for local players but, in the time we have left, we don’t have enough to mould a local amateur into a play-off player.”

Town joint coach Gary Charlton added: “We want to go into the play-offs and make a challenge, not struggle like we have done in the past. When we got to the play-off final last year, we only had 18 fit players so we have made a move to strengthen before the deadline.”

Town travel to take on bottom-of-the-table Gateshead Thunder on Sunday, knowing that promotion to the Championship is now guaranteed. But, with a £50,000 winner-take-all prize for the winners of the league, and good cash prizes in the play-offs, there’s all still to play for.

Meanwhile, Rochdale Hornets coach John Stankevitch has stepped down. Stankevitch will remain as at the club as a sporting director, taking an administrative role at the club and supporting the new head coach. He is also stepping away from the playing and coaching side of rugby league in order to spend more time with his family.

First published at 11:28, Friday, 03 August 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk