A BRIDGE TOO GOOD!
Chris treble shows Vikings what they’ll miss
DENIS BETTS saluted his Bridge of tries as Widnes walloped their Championship visitors to stay on course for Super League survival.
Chris Bridge, who retires at the end of the season, scored a hat-trick in the Vikings’ 11-try Qualifiers win.
Rhys Hanbury also grabbed a treble, including the 100th try of his career, and kicked one conversion, while there were doubles for Charly Runciman and Stefan Marsh.
Bridge, 33, has potentially five more games left of a career that began at Bradford in 2001.
And Betts reckons the one-time Warrington favourite is keen to go out on a high and under his own terms.
“If Chris turns up and wants to play, he could be one of the best centres in the competition, if not the best,” said Betts.
“But he recognises he wants to pack in playing as well. And you can see he is enjoying it. He knows his time is up and just wants to finish playing the game how he wants to play it.
“Chris has given us a bit of drive over the last few weeks.
“He was one of the players who wanted us to be more ruthless.
“You have got to respect the opposition, but understand where we are in this competition and go after them with our game. And Bridgey has pushed that through.”
Vikings’ win lifted them above Leigh – who they meet next after a break for the Challenge Cup Final – into third place behind unbeaten Warrington and Hull KR.