Heremaia signs fresh deal for 2018 campaign
● VIKINGS vice-captain Aaron Heremaia has extended his contract with the club for the 2018 season.
The experienced hooker has played more than 250 top-flight games with the Vikings, New Zealand Warriors, Hull FC and Leigh Centurions. He has also represented New Zealand internationally.
Heremaia moved to Widnes Vikings in 2015, becoming a mainstay of the team. In this time, he has been named the Players’ Player of the Year and been appointed as a vice-captain in the club’s Leadership Group.
Heremaia said: “It was an easy decision to extend my time at the Vikings.
“My family and I love the town and I’m honoured to represent the club.
“I still feel that I have a lot to offer and I have the same excitement on game days as I did at the age of 18. The Vikings have some real talent and exciting young players coming through, and I’m very proud to be able to support them in my leadership role.”
Vikings head coach, Denis Betts, said: “I am delighted that Aaron has extended his contract with the Vikings.
“Aaron is a real asset, with his abilities, experience and leadership qualities. At a time when we are bringing through young players, it is important to have role models and mentors like Aaron in the team.”
Friday, June 1, 2007 AN indication of the standards being set by the Vikings was reflected when Rugby League World published their top 50 players outside Super League.
Ten members of the Vikings’ squad were included in the group which was headed by Castleford’s Danny Brough.
The players, with their rankings, were Mark Smith (2), Dennis Moran (3), Bob Beswick (5), Oliver Wilkes (11), Mick Nanyn (15), Scott Grix (16), Toa Kohe-Love (20), Damien Blanch (26), Paul Noone (28) and Mick Cassidy (31). ● WIDNES VIKINGS: On This Day is available now at £9.99 from the Vikings Superstore. ● WIDNES VIKINGS ...................... 28 LEEDS RHINOS ........................... 20
ABRACE of tries apiece from wingers Ryan Ince and Corey Thompson saw Widnes down high-flying Leeds Rhinos 28-20 at the Select Security Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon.
Ince’s second try, just eight minutes from full-time, was the pick of the bunch and also the one that really broke the game open for Denis Betts’s men.
After seeing his side give Betfred Super League leaders Castleford Tigers a run for their money three days earlier, Betts made seven changes to his line-up and was delighted to see his outfit take it a step further against the Rhinos.
He said: “We knew it would be a tough start against Leeds.
“We had to absorb the quality they have and their offloading game, and then put pressure on them with some fresher bodies.
“We had enough in us in the last 20 minutes to get over the line.
“We now want to bring that level of performance and enthusiasm to next week so we can kick-on.
“Ryan (Ince) works hard, he’s fit and strong and he’s got to a good age now.
“He’s 20 years old, he’s worked his way through our systems here and he’s a good player.
“The youth we’ve put into the team this year have really stood up and embraced Super League.
“That adds to the strength-indepth we’ve got at the moment.”
After enjoying the better of things early on, the Vikings went behind to an Ash Handley try following Brad Singleton’s smart offload.
The scores were levelled when a Hep Cahill break set up the position for Chase to send fullback Rhys Hanbury surging over wide out.
Midway through the first half, Leeds enjoyed a purple patch and twice exploited the Vikings’ goalline defence to cross for tries from Kallum Watkins and Stevie Ward respectively.
At 14-4 there was fear of the game running away from Widnes but Ince pulled four points back with an acrobatic finish from Chris Bridge’s flick pass.
Just three minutes later Charly Runciman palmed back a Chase bomb allowing teammate Corey Thompson to scoop up the ball