Olly Davies says Widnes Vikings’ aim next season is to be the hardest working team in the Betfred Championship, but he admits they need to show improved levels of consistency.
Davies featured on 28 occasions in his debut season with the club in 2022, scoring seven tries.
Having signed a new one-year deal, he is set to play a key role again under John Kear during the upcoming campaign, and the 26-year-old admits his head coach has laid out exactly what is expected of the squad.
“John’s goal is to be the hardest working team in the league,” he said.
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“I feel like we showed that at times last year, but we need that consistency to get where we need to be.
“We’ve been doing the basics right in pre-season, and John has been drilling that into us.
“If you’re the hardest-working team in the league, you’ll be hard to beat, both in attack and defence.”
The Vikings have been bolstered by some exciting arrivals during the off-season, including several international representatives and talented young players.
Davies, who will once again wear the number 19 shirt next season, has been pleased with how the new recruits have settled into life at the club, and the impact they have had within the squad.
“We’re a tight-knit group, a good bunch of lads,” the second-rower admitted.
“We have a few big personalities in the group, which is good. You don’t want a quiet changing room, you want lads who are comfortable with each other.
“The louder guys will bring out the quieter voices in the dressing room, and we want everyone to be comfortable talking on a matchday.”
Davies was part of a squad that missed out on the play-offs last year, but he insists the club needs to look forward and not backwards in order to fulfil their ambitions during the year ahead.
“It’s the ultimate aim, to be there or thereabouts at the business end of the season.
“Last year is in the past. We learn from it and take the positives from it. We started fantastically, and at the end we showed some good performances.
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“We had a big blip in the middle where things weren’t going right for us and we were getting frustrated with each other, but the great thing about rugby league is that you come back year-on-year, season after season.
“You look back on it, only a little bit, think ‘where did it go wrong’ and make sure it doesn’t happen again this season.
“I’m certain it’s not going to happen this year. John is all about the basics, and each week we start again from scratch.
“The hardest working team in the league next year is going to be Widnes.”
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Featured photo credit: RLPIX
