Widnes have missed out on the full-back they were chasing ahead of the season opener to London Broncos and have moved on to other targets.
Coach Allan Coleman was forced in to the market following the late departure of Jake Maizen before Christmas, with the Australian having been lined up to be the Vikings’ number one this season.
An ambitious play for now ex-Warrington full-back Matt Dufty came to nothing, and he has since returned to Australia and linked up with South Sydney Rabbitohs’ NSW Cup team.
After the friendly defeat to Warrington, Coleman said he was awaiting a decision on a possible signing but that has now fallen through. Although no names have been mentioned, it is thought the player was based in France.
Last week, Catalans’ Cesar Rouge made the move to Toulouse after he was offered around to clubs. Australian full-back Zac Santo, who played in the Championship with Toulouse in 2023, is a former team-mate of Vikings forward Morgan McWhirter and is currently in his eighth season playing in the French Super XIII with Limoux Grizzlies, earning his first cap for France last year after qualifying through residency.
Widnes enquired about former Wigan, Leigh and Wakefield utility Ryan Hampshire, now without a club following the demise of Featherstone. However it is thought the player expressed his preference to play at half-back.
Connell gets the nod
Matt Fleming started at full-back in the defeat to London in the Championship season opener, but was forced off injured with an ankle knock early in the second half and captain Jack Owens slotted back to fill in.
Nathan Connell, who started five games in Super League for Salford at full-back last season, is likely to get the nod to play at one in the Challenge Cup against Thatto Heath on Sunday having been 18th man in the capital.
Speaking after the 44-12 defeat to London, Coleman said: “I’ll be honest, the target we had is gone. There is another, and we’ll probably find out early this week if that’s available.
“He’s quality as well. It’s not as though we’re panicking. There have been a couple of options and they’ve all been good quality players
“Without being disrespectful to Thatto Heath, whoever we bring in won’t play next week. Nathan Connell will play next week. We just need to nail it, we need to get it right.”
READ MORE: London verdict: Errors put paid to any outside chance of a Widnes upset
New season, same full-back problem
Last season, Widnes started the first seven league games with a different full-back. Joe Lyons started there in the opening day win in Toulouse, before young Wigan loanee Noah Hodkinson featured against Sheffield.
Jack Owens slotted in for round three against Batley, and then Warrington whizzkid Cai Taylor-Wray came to put in a match-winning display away at Doncaster. Matt Fleming was next up to face Barrow before another Warrington player, Oli Leyland, got the nod to play Oldham.
It was only when Joe Edge went to full-back for back-to-back games against York and Hunslet in rounds 8 and 9 that Widnes had the same player at the back.
After then, the arrival of Jake Maizen saw more consistency at full back, with Edge and Fleming featuring there on a handful of occasions.
The full-back situation was debated on the latest edition of the Widnes Rugby Chat, listen below:
