Workington Town coach Phil Veivers expects to have a few more players signed up in the very near future as he plans for 2016.

Veivers was disappointed to have come within one game of the Championship Shield final but admitted that he was happy with the season on a whole.

His weakened side, which saw only two fit players on the bench due to unavailabilities, went down 52-14 at Championship Shield League winners Featherstone on Sunday. Featherstone will now play London Broncos in the Shield final.

“We’ve had a good competition and I have to be pleased to have finished eight as it was a much harder competition than last year,” said the Aussie.

“We managed to sign a majority of the squad for next year and there are two or three outstanding. I’m quietly confident and discussions are ongoing.

“We’re also talking to Jarrod Sammut. He’s been very good for us this season and given us a good lift. But one man can’t win a game by himself and needs the other 16 players around him.

“We are a long way from the finished article and we’re always looking to bring in new players. I have been here two years and would say that I’m one year into a five-year plan.”

Town finished eighth in the Championship and made the play-offs but Veivers would like to see some changes to the Super 8s, which ran for the first time this summer.

“I’d like to see a few alterations to make it a bit more competitive for the bottom four in the Super 8s Championship Shield,” added Veivers who is jetting off home to Queensland to visit relatives and friends for a month in mid-October.

“The middle 8s, the Qualifiers, seem to have gone ok.

“But I would like to see a level playing field on finances but fear that it will never happen while they want the top four in the Championship to compete with Super League clubs.”

Second-rower James Duerden, who spent a majority of the season on loan at League One Barrow Raiders, will not be returning to the Zebra Claims Stadium. Veivers indicated that the Barrow-based youngster “will be moving on”.

  • Garry Schofield and Brett Kenny, who has travelled from Australia to support Schofield’s Testimonail, will be guests at Town’s vice-president's evening on Friday.

A few tickets are still available for the event (7pm for 7.30pm) which includes a meal, guest speakers and fund-raising.

The price of a ticket is £20 and all interested should contact Tony Boyd on 07850552229, Barry Scholey on 07739 461383, or the Workington Town offices on 01900 603609.