Shorrocks: Learning and developing from experiences
- Joe Shorrocks reflects on Wigan’s defeat to Hull KR on Thursday night and explains what he can learn from it.
- The 20-year-old talks about his role in the first team, coming through the Wigan youth system and how he will use the experience of losing to his advantage.
- Shorrocks: “To be involved in the squad at any time is good for me just to develop my own game and learn things that will help me later on in my career.”
Youngster Joe Shorrocks believes the experience he gained in the defeat to Hull KR is a learning curve that will help him in the future.
The loose forward came off the bench in the 34-18 loss to Tony Smith’s side on Thursday evening at Emerald Headingley Stadium, making his second Betfred Super League appearance since the restart.
Despite being on the losing side, the 20-year-old is taking some positives from it.
He said: “It was a big moment for me to come on when we were in a bad position and gain that experience.
“I was surprised that I was brought on so early but was pleased as I thought I could make an impact. To be involved in the squad at any time is good for me just to develop my own game and learn things that will help me later on in my career.”
Shorrocks believes the Warriors must now utilise this week as they prepare to take on Catalans Dragons next Saturday at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.
“Something was missing against Hull KR, it wasn’t where we wanted to be, but we can look back on it and see what we need to do. We’ve now got a full week to sort that out.”
To be a part of Adrian Lam’s first team plans is something that pleases Shorrocks and he says he knows what he has to do to stay in the side.
“Lammy (Adrian Lam) pulled me into a meeting after lockdown and told me, ‘there are a lot of games coming up so you will play a few,’ so hopefully if I play well, I will be involved more and more. I know I can do it, it’s just about being consistent and doing it week-in-week-out in order to keep that place I’m working to get.”
Alongside Shorrocks in the current squad are recent Academy products, including Harry Smith, Ollie Partington, Morgan Smithies and Ethan Havard.
Shorrocks says seeing senior players who have taken a similar route as him and his same-age teammates gives young players more confidence.
“It is really good coming through. You know as a young lad that Wigan bring players through, so if you work hard and do what they ask, you won’t be far off. It is nice to play with Ethan, Morgan, Ollie P and Harry because I played with them at Academy level, so it is comforting as I know what they can do when they’re alongside me.
“My goal for the next few weeks is to play as much as I can and hopefully keep my spot. I think winning (the Betfred Academy Super League) has spurred us on to the first team and hopefully we can lift everything this year.”
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