Club of the Week: Workington
After spending over a decade in the third tier of British rugby league, Workington are just happy to be playing Championship football, according to their Australian forward Jarrad Stack.
Stack, 24, says that avoiding relegation was the only aim at the start of the season, and now that their Championship status is as good as secured they can relax.
“We’ve won our last three games meaning we are pretty much safe, so we can class the season as a success,” Stack told Love Rugby League.
With Town currently in seventh position in the standings they have also have a fair chance of finishing in the top eight and making it into the end of season play-offs.
“If we get in the play-offs and get a home tie then we would back ourselves to go further,” said the former Australian schoolboy international.
“We are strong at home and have been all year – other sides would probably want to avoid a visit to Derwent Park.”
So far there have been many positives for the Cumbrian club in 2013 and undoubtedly the performances of hooker Callum Phillips has been on particular highlight.
Phillips, plucked from amateur rugby league at the end of last season, is currently joint second in the Premier Sports Championship Player of the Year table.
“Callum has definitely been the player of the year at the club so far, although loose forward Karl Olstrum has also been brilliant,” said Stack who himself has impressed at Championship level.
It is 4 years since Stack arrived in England and although he thinks Australian rugby league is a lot quicker he is still very much enjoying the British version.
“Rugby league is played at a very high standard in Australia but there is also a lot of quality over here, plus the game in England is more physical.”
To win tickets to Workington’s next home Kingstone Press Championship match, against Featherstone on Sunday 4th August, click here.
Kingstone Press Cider has teamed up with LoveRugbyLeague to celebrate all things great about the rugby league Championships. For the rest of the season, ‘Championing the Championships’ campaign will put a weekly spotlight on each Championship and Championship 1 club to focus on their most memorable moments, look back at the clubs heroes and reward the loyal fans. Read more.