GRIEVING PAIR TO MISS START
WIDNES VIKINGS’ Papua New Guinean brothers, Wellington and Stanton Albert, will miss the opening of the new season as they await visa clearance.
The forward pair have landed in this country, but are yet to start training, and coach Denis Betts (below) has confirmed they are not in contention for the opening game with Catalans on February 4.
The Albert brothers arrived in the wake of the sudden death of their PNG team-mate Kato Ottio, who was also due to link up with the Vikings.
Betts said: “They’ve had a tough couple of weeks. We managed to get them here quicker than we thought, and would like to get them used to being in the country, so we can get them in a good enough place before the start of the season.
“But they are not in my plans for the first week. Bringing them both over together has been a bit of a bonus because they have a support network. “We have got a fantastic group of players and they are willing to support Stanton and Wellington.” The Vikings will wear a tribute to Ottio – who never played for the club – with his squad number 18 on their home and away shirts this season.
Betts added: “It’s so sad he is lost to the world.”