Heremaia – Our teamwork will be key to success
WIDNES veteran Aaron Heremaia is confident the Vikings can overcome the loss of skipper and playmaker Kevin Brown to Warrington.
The 34 year-old New Zealander is firmly of the belief that teamwork will be the key to success for his team in 2017. And the Vikings are greater than the sum of their parts.
He said: “With Kev leaving, there’s an opportunity now to grab that spot. As good a player as Kev was – and he was our best player – it gives a chance to someone else.
“Everyone will have to chip in to make up for Kev leaving. One of the advantages we have is that when teams play us they probably look at our teamsheet and think they’ve won the game already. On paper we don’t have the big names, but we know what we’re capable of. If we can stay relatively injury-free, we’ll do alright.
“We need to find consistency. We started well last year, then went through a blip before we came good again. We never really got blown away apart from the game against Hull FC. If we can stick in games, we can pick up plenty of wins.”
Heremaia is backing the big boys in the middle of the park to lay a solid platform for the Vikings next year. Widnes brought in two prop-forwards mid-season in 2016 and with others coming through the ranks, they are looking stronger in that area than at the start of the 2016 campaign.
He added: “The forwards are a key focus for us this year. Guys like Greg Burke and Jack Buchanan haven’t been here long and Alex Gerrard is like having a new player because he missed most of last season with injury.
“You’ve also got the likes of the Chapelhow brothers who are pushing the older guys.
“It’s an area where we feel we can target the opposition.”
As for his own personal outlook for 2017, Heremaia insists the enthusiasm is still there just as it was when he first started out.
“If you fall out of love with the game, it’s hard to play because it’s so demanding on the body. When you lose that edge it’s definitely time to hang up the boots. I’m not the type of player to steal a living. It’s great to be around the young lads – they keep you young and fresh. If there’s a better player out there who comes and takes your spot, so be it.
“But at the minute, I’m feeling good.” ●
Saturday, December 29, 1928 MISSING nearly half a team through injury Widnes travelled to Oldham and suffered an 11-0 defeat after what The Weekly News described as a “plucky” performance.
Strong defence allowed Widnes to keep their opponents out for 30 minutes but, once breached, they fell again soon after to go into the break trailing 8-0.
Stout defence kept Oldham out for long periods of the second half but they eventually added their third try to complete the scoring. ● WIDNES VIKINGS: On This Day is available now at £9.99 from the Vikings Superstore. ● WIDNES VIKINGS ...................... 18 WARRINGTON WOLVES ........... 28
AYOUTHFUL Vikings side gave a good account of themselves before going down 28-18 to Warrington in the Festive Derby on Bank Holiday Tuesday afternoon.
The crowd inside the Select Security Stadium were well entertained as both sides looked to play enterprising rugby.
Denis Betts’s men had the better of things for long periods of the encounter and were still holding a lead going into the last 10 minutes.
But a powerful late surge from the Wolves saw them take the spoils.
Widnes fans had an opportunity to run the rule over their side’s new half-back combination of Joe Mellor and Tom Gilmore and will have been encouraged by what they witnessed.
Mellor was his usual industrious self until he was withdrawn while Gilmore had a hand in several of his team’s tries and was rewarded with the home side’s man-of-the-match nomination.
Widnes enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and went close through Gilmore and new centre signing Tom Armstrong.
The Vikings took the lead on 12 minutes after full-back Danny Craven’s raking 40/20 touchfinder set up good field position.
Winger Stefan Marsh was the man who crossed the whitewash from Gilmore’s cut-out pass and Marsh’s fine touchline conversion made it 6-0.
Unfortunately, Gilmore blotted his copybook by spilling the restart kick allowing the visitors to lay siege to the Widnes line.
However, the Widnes youngsters showed plenty of desire to repel several back-to-back sets.
Craven thought he had increased the Vikings’ lead but he was pulled back for a forward pass and centre Charly Runciman was held up over the line.
A superb cover tackle from Mellor kept the Wolves at bay but they eventually opened their account on 33 minutes when the impressive Harvey Livett claimed a high kick to touch down for a self-converted try.
It didn’t take Widnes long to reestablish a lead when, on the back of a Runciman break, Gilmore grubbered to the in-goal area allowing right winger Ryan Ince to pounce.
The Vikings deserved their 10-6 half-time lead and quickly enhanced it after the break when Runciman’s quick hands put 17 year-old Keanan Brand over in the corner for a four-pointer.
Another mistake directly from the restart denied Widnes the opportunity to consolidate as Ryan Atkins crashed over for the Wolves from the resulting pressure. Livett’s conversion made it 14-12.
Injuries to Greg Burke and Olly Ashall disrupted the Vikings’ rhythm but it did not stop them increasing their lead as Liam Walsh latched onto a Gilmore kick to score an unconverted try.
Just when it seemed Widnes might go on and win the contest, Craven had a clearance kick charged down and it ended up in the hands of Toby King who raced 40 metres to score for the Wolves.
Warrington now had the bit between their teeth and took the lead for the first time when Atkins put winger Declan Kay over with Livett adding the extras.
The Vikings’ attempts to rescue the game saw the error count rise and the visitors took advantage as Rhys Evans crossed to seal the win for the Wolves.