Cross closing in on return

Widnes prop Ben Cross is hoping to be fit to face former club Leeds on Sunday week.

Cross, 34, has been out for almost two months with a knee injury, suffered in the home defeat against Wakefield at the end of April.

He is set to hang up his boots at the end of the year, following two seasons with the Vikings.

He told the club’s official website: “I’m getting on pretty good, and if not the Leeds Rhinos game at home, I’ll definitely be ready for the game at Wakefield in a few weeks time.

“There’s a possibility for a top eight finish and we’re still in the (Tetley’s) Challenge Cup, so I want to get back on board and play my part in helping the team string a few good wins together and finish the season off strongly.

“Once we get our full complement of players back in the team and pushing for positions, it brings the best out in players. Hopefully with a consistent team every week, we can settle back into our groove, which certainly benefitted us earlier in the year.”

Cross, who scored the first try of his senior career last season, watched his team-mates fall to a 38-28 defeat at Headingley last night.

The former New South Wales State of Origin forward first came to Super League with Leeds at the beginning of 2011, before a short spell at Wigan.