Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BOSS EDDIE TAKES PAY HIT
LEWIS HATTON is set to swap the front row of a rugby league pack for the frontline of the coronavirus battle.
The Swinton Lions forward is in the final year of his nurse training and is one of thousands set to be fast-tracked into hospitals in coming weeks.
Hatton, 23, this week opted in to the government’s scheme to help the NHS deal with the pandemic and is now waiting to hear where he will be deployed.
The former St Helens junior said: “Because I’m in the last six months of my training I had the option to opt in.
“It’s the same thing I’ve been training for, it’s just come earlier than I expected.
“Sometimes it’s better to be thrown in the deep end. It’s a bit nerve-wracking but I wanted to give it a go.
“We haven’t been given any further information yet, but we had an email round this week saying it was urgent and we had to let them know by Wednesday.
“I’m not sure where I’ll be working yet other than it will be in an NHS hospital close to home.”
Hatton has been a key figure at the part-time Championship club Lions, having moved from neighbours Rochdale Hornets and was on the books at Saints, Salford and Warrington as a junior.
But rugby league has been pushed to one side now with the sport suspended and his new career is taking priority.
Hatton said: “I’ve still been ticking over with my training and have a little garage gym set up.
“The lads have a Whatsapp group where we get set homework, as we’ve called it.
“We’re keeping in touch with the coaching and strength and conditioning staff.
“We had just started to get going and now the season’s