Fax’s Robinson: Battle for wing berths is intense
HALIFAX WINGER Shaun Robinson hopes he has done enough to secure a berth for Sunday’s Championship opener against Sheffield at the Shay (3.0), but insists that whoever plays on the flanks will have earned their places.
Robinson has been locked in a four-way pre-season battle for the two starting wing spots with James Saltonstall, Conor McGrath and new recruit Jodie Broughton.
The former Swinton player missed the opening warm up fixture against Hull FC, but bounced back with typically energetic efforts at Huddersfield and York.
“We have good depth, good competition for places, and you can see that in day-to-day training,” said Robinson.
“I hope I have done enough to play on Sunday, but whoever plays in those positions will have the support of everyone else in the team, whether that’s me or someone else.
“As long as we are winning as a team, that’s all that matters.
“I think all four of us have different things to offer on the field.
“My game is probably backfield, trying to get the team on the front foot and get us playing fast.
“A good start is massive for us this year but Sheffield are always a dangerous team.
“They’ve lost some
good players but they’ve signed some good ones as well.
“I think we can take a lot from pre-season.
“The results don’t mean that much in themselves, but there have been some encouraging signs. We’ll take each game as it comes, set some goals for the first three or four games, and go from there.”
Robinson said he detected a different atmosphere among the club’s players this year after a horror 2019, which saw them sink without trace during the second half of the league campaign.
“It feels a bit different this year; we are all working together as a unit at the moment, which is always a good sign,” said
Robinson, who scored one try in the win at York and was only denied a second after he brushed the touchline.
“I think we have a lot of respect for each other after pre-season, because it’s been tough, a lot tougher than last year.
“You can see the fruits of that against York, when we got down to the nitty gritty late in the game, everyone dug in as a team. I think we’ve got something good here this year.
“Last year was difficult. For me, for everyone.
“I think that’s probably brought us together this winter.”
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