Haven seal deal on ex-Wigan star

[josie andrews]

The 21-year-old had been due to sign a two-year deal with Warrington at the start of the year after featuring for the Wolves in a festive friendly against Leigh.

But he opted to take a season out of the game and is now raring to get back in to action.

The Orrell-based back-rower saw Haven’s play-off win over Leigh two weeks ago and believes he will fit in well at the Recre.

“I can’t wait to get back playing,” he said. “I’ve been so excited about signing for Whitehaven that I haven’t been able to sleep for a minute. They’ve got a massive pack and I’m very impressed.

“If we play next year like we are in the play-offs, there will be nothing to stop us.”

Walker, who has an option for a second year with Haven, has a great pedigree having been awarded Wigan Under-18s Billie-Joe Edwards and Craig Johnson Memorial Player of the Year trophy in 2004.

He then moved up to the U-21s and signed a two-year full-time contract with Wigan in July 2005, keeping him at the club until the end of 2007.

In November 2006 he joined NL2 outfit Swinton on a year-long loan deal but returned to the JJB in May the following year.

“I have friends in NL1 and I’ve been getting a bit of stick. Mark Roberts, of Leigh, has told me to make sure my hamstring’s gone when we play them because he’ll be looking for me,” joked Walker, a bubbly character, who is comfortable at centre but prefers the back-row.

“It gets a bit boring at centre, you don’t get much to do.”

He will travel to training with St Helens-based Rob Jackson and stay locally when necessary with Ade Adebisi, Haven’s top try-scorer this term, whose record Walker already has in his sights.

“I’m no stranger to the try line so I might give him a run for his money,” he quipped.

Family issues, now behind him, led him to walk away from a deal with Warrington.

He explained: “They’d been after me for a long time and I was going to sign a two-year first-team contract.

“But I had a meeting with Paul Cullen and the board and told them I couldn’t give 100% and that I was going to leave it.”

Boss Ged Stokes believes Walker is the type of big, aggressive player that rival teams will fear.

“One of the reasons he wants to play for us is that he loves the forward style,” Stokes said. “I’m a traditionalist, and the bigger and tougher they are, the better. There’s no denying that when you look how Catalans have gone this season.”

Workington Town forward Dexter Miller also signed this week, on a two-year contract.

The 26-year-old was a regular in the Town pack in NL2 but realises the scale of the task to break in to League One Haven’s first-choice 17.

“I know it’s going to be hard and obviously I’ll have to fight for my position, but I’m up for the challenge and think I’ve got it in myself to do it,” Miller said.

Stokes, who gave the ex-Kells amateur his break in to the prop ranks when in charge at Town, said: “I always thought Dexter a good player when in the amateurs. He’s a good professional and runs really good lines and defends well.

“He’s also tall and strong, and he realises what he has to do to make the first-team. I want players like that who are willing to challenge themselves.”

http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/haven/1.241167

[gpartin]

"I can’t wait to get back playing,” he said. “I’ve been so excited about signing for Whitehaven that I haven’t been able to sleep for a minute."

And he thinks that's bad... I haven't been able to sleep for 2 nights!!!

[butt monkey]

"I can’t wait to get back playing,” he said. “I’ve been so excited about signing for Whitehaven that I haven’t been able to sleep for a minute."

And he thinks that's bad... I haven't been able to sleep for 2 nights!!!

If I watched 'Haven I might sleep for two weeks!