Seb’s raring to go as Devils get back in training
NEW SIGNING HOPING TO IMPROVE FITNESS
JUST a month after the Grand Final at Old Trafford and with their coach on the other side of the world as part of the Great Britain Lions tour, Salford are back in pre-season.
As has become customary for the Red Devils, there’s a host of new faces who are ‘enjoying’ being put through their paces by Greg Brown, the strength and conditioning guru credited with ensuring the small squad was at peak performance for the entire 2019 campaign.
“I talked to the boys at Huddersfield about him, they said he was a real good trainer and he will get me better,” said prop Seb Ikahihifo, who has joined the club from the Giants.
“I’m good at weights, but he’s going to get me more into the fitness side and get me fit.
“The repeat high intensity intervals are what GB is really good at - short, sharp shuttles and repeated efforts and I think that’s more my game.
“Last year, I was doing one effort but that was it, I’d empty the tank on that one effort. Now it’s going to be about going again and again and again.”
Whereas Ikahihifo insists he’s found warmer weather by trading the John Smith’s Stadium for the AJ Bell, Connor Jones is adjusting to a first pre-season in the northern hemisphere.
He joined Featherstone midway through the year and impressed enough to earn a contract with the Red Devils.
“I’m just getting my head around doing pre-season in the middle of winter rather than the middle of summer back in Australia,” joked Jones, who says he was so ‘bored’ waiting for pre-season to get under way that he voluntarily undertook sessions at Brown’s gym in Huddersfield.
“He’s been really good, he’s really positive and energetic,” said Jones. “I’m really looking forward to working under him and Ian.
“I’ve met Ian a couple of times and was really impressed. I’ve heard so many good things about him and Greg from people outside of the club.
“They’re two really great characters and I’ll learn a lot from them because I really feel like I can improve a lot under their guidance.”
As well as the coaching staff, Ikahihifo has been impressed with his fellow new arrivals, lauding the mix of options across the group.
“There’s guys in there who are unsung heroes,” said the New Zealand-born prop. “You know they’ll look after you, but if they do, you’ve got to come up with some big plays - hard running, quick play-the-balls, defence and bring the energy on the field.
“The guys like [Luke] Yates, will look after you and drop in if you’re jogging back, they’re going to be there working hard for you.
“It’s important for us guys like Pauli Pauli and myself to make our big plays so our team can go forward.”
Elsewhere, Rochdale have made their first signing ahead of the 2020 League 1 season, signing utility forward Jordan Syme on a one-year deal. The 22-yearold had loan spells with the Hornets in 2018 and 2019.