Shorrocks: Aiming to impress
- Joe Shorrocks chats pre-season training and 2021 goals.
- Betfred Super League season to begin on 25th March.
- Shorrocks: “I’ll be trying to force my way into the team.”
Youngster Joe Shorrocks is hoping he can impact the Wigan first team further this season after a breakthrough 2020.
Already back in pre-season training with the rest young guns in the squad, the 21-year-old is pleased to be back in a routine.
“It’s just good to get back and be around the boys after a month off.
“And especially with another lockdown, it’s good to have that normality and be back in training.”
As is customary with a pre-season at Wigan Warriors, the ‘next generation’ of talent head back to work a little earlier than the more regular first team players.
Having that head start on some of the squad is something Shorrocks is feeling the benefit of.
“We’re working hard in the gym, trying to get bigger and stronger so that when the rest of the team come back we’re right up there with them.”
Shorrocks’ pre-season has begun with success, being the last man standing in the annual bleep test.
“I’m happy to show that the stuff I’ve been working on in the off-season, like my fitness, is up there with some of the other lads, because some of them are very fit. It’s great to be the last man standing for sure.”
After making his debut in 2019, the Billinge born forward began to make his mark in the first team in 2020. Once the first lockdown allowed a return to action, Shorrocks put in a string of impressive performances from the bench.
On what he learned from last season, he said: “With the rule changes due to Covid, it was the pace of the game you had to adapt to quickly.
“I think communication was a big one as well for me. In the Under-19s you could go through a few phases or a few minutes without much speaking at all.
“In the first team you can hear a voice for every minute of the game. You can’t have a minute off and you always need to be communicating.”
Although the Betfred Super League season doesn’t get underway for another two months (learn more here), the loose forward has already begun making personal targets for himself.
“If not every week, hopefully I’ll play more games than I did last season.
“I’ll be trying to force my way into the team and give Lammy [Adrian Lam] something to think about. Hopefully I can show him why he can’t leave me out.”
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