SHOCK & JOE
Shorrocks targets old pals
JOE SHORROCKS is out to create more shocks with red-hot Salford.
The loose forward helped Paul Rowley’s side win at St Helens for the first time in 44 years on Friday.
And tonight he aims to down Super League and World Club champions Wigan – his beloved hometown team he left in the off-season.
Shorrocks had spent his entire career with Warriors but has no regrets about his decision even if this evening will be surreal.
He said: “It will be a bit weird. I’ll treat it just as a normal game but it’s got added edge to it because I spent nine years at Wigan.
“I’ll now be playing against a lot of my good friends like Harry Smith, Kaide Ellis, Jai [Field], Abbas [Miski] and Marshy [Liam Marshall].
“All of them really. Although I’m sure it’ll be Harry who’ll try to take my head off!
“But we don’t fear playing them. It will be a challenge. They’re a very good team and have shown that so far this season.
“We relish the opportunity to play them and hopefully come away with another result like St Helens.”
Multi-talented Shorrocks, who was on the books of Preston North End FC and Lancashire CCC as a kid, played 72 games for Wigan after making his debut in 2019.
But he became the club’s Mr Versatile and struggled to nail down a regular spot when all he desperately wanted was to be their No.13.
Ironically, Wigan’s England looseforward Morgan Smithies left for Canberra this season.
But Shorrocks said: “I asked [to leave] before knowing Morgan was definitely leaving.
“Once I knew Morgan was going I didn’t want to stay and be put in the same position for another year, not playing.
“I didn’t want to chance it. Kaide Ellis is playing there now so I’d have just been in the same boat.
“It was very disappointing not to play the role I wanted. But there’s some good players there. Morgan was doing really well.
“And it felt best for me to come to Salford so I could learn that position more and play in it more. I’m really happy I did.”
Rowley’s side were written off after losing stars like Brodie
Croft, Andy Ackers,
Joe Burgess and
Ken Sio for 2024.
But Salford are now seeking a fourth straight win tonight.
Shorrocks, one of eight former Wigan players in their squad, said: “We’ve won three out of four and we feel it should be all four.
“We’re flying high. We’ve got some big tests.”