Howe pulling parties together at Warriors

MAKING PLANS . . . new club chairman of Waterhead Warriors, Tommy Howe

NEW Waterhead Warriors chairman Tommy Howe hopes that a new-look structure behind the scenes can help spur the club's first-team fortunes.

In the season just finished, Waterhead's senior side ended up seventh out of 10 clubs in Division Three of the Kingstone Press National Conference League - just outside the re-election zone.

For next season, player-coach Dave Orwell will be assisted by under-18s coaching duo Jon Perks and Keith Brennan.

It is that sort of pooling of expertise that the club are seeking across the board, to integrate the youth and senior sections in a way not achieved before.

"The youth section is superb and we have teams in almost every age group," said Howe (44), who has taken over as chairman at the Waterhead Park club from Mick Slicker.

"Our task is to rebuild the open age side. Last season was poor, but we are hoping for improvement going forward.

"We want to pull everyone together as a club - from the juniors right through to the open age. It has been fragmented and that is far from ideal."

Waterhead's record as a hotbed of rugby league is legendary throughout the game.

All-time heroes of the game Barrie McDermott and Kevin Sinfield learned their early skills at the club and the modern-day established in Super League are former talents Marc Sneyd (Hull FC), Lee Jewitt (Castleford) and Eamonn O'Carroll (Widnes).

Swapping St Helens for life in the NRL is Jordan Turner. Josh Johnson and Nathan Mason are members of Huddersfield Giants' first-team squad and Liam Aspin (Warrington) and Harry Maders (Salford) are expected to break through soon.

While it is inevitable that the cream of the talent will head off to the top clubs, Waterhead - who have former star Brian Agard offering his assistance on the new combined committee - are aiming to bolster the first team by bringing players right through the age groups.

"With the main committee and the youth committee, we want major decisions to be run through both and to decide matters as a collective," Howe added.

"The open age side is the flagship but we can't do without the youth. We need the young players coming through to support it with fresh blood."