Injury crisis crippling Widnes, admits Denis Betts
Widnes coach Denis Betts says the mounting injury list is costing the Vikings valuable points at the minute.
A very youthful and depleted Vikings side were comfortably beaten by Hull FC 39-20 at the Halton Stadium on Thursday evening.
Widnes were without 11 senior players for the game and were dealt further blows when Chris Dean and Chris Houston left the field and didn’t return.
Betts admitted that the Vikings were beaten by the better side, but believes the injury list is costing them points.
Speaking after the game, he said: “It’s like I’m in some kind of vortex at the moment were every time I turn around, someone collapses on me.
“It’s a bizarre situation to be in, we went through something pretty tight last year with players falling around us.
“We’ve got more experience than last year, but I’m relying on people to do their jobs against players with more experience and who are better than they are and eventually, we are getting rolled.
“We dug in, we fought and took the lead, but then lose Chris Houston. He has been our best players this year and it zaps the energy out of you when you see another player leave the field. We got beat by a side who have got a couple of fantastic players, (Albert) Kelly was up for Man of Steel last year and he will be up there this year.”
Betts insisted that the effort was there from his youthful side though and thinks the Rugby Football League need to look at the Easter schedule.
He added: “I know the lads are putting their hearts and souls into it and the effort levels are good, but we are just not getting a break.
“I don’t really believe in luck and I don’t think we’re unlucky, I just think these things happen. It is disappointing to see that people around you are disappointed because they don’t think the players are trying – this is not the case.
“We had seven or eight players under 22 on the field and there was a lot of homegrown talent, but it doesn’t bode well when you aren’t winning games.
“Sometimes I question the sanity of our game to be able to play this game. It was our fourth game inside two weeks. I think we need to look at our scheduling and wonder why all teams have to play four games in two weeks.”