No panic from Betts

Widnes coach Denis Betts is remaining calm after going down by 40 points to Warrington in a pre-season friendly and says the Vikings will get better.

Widnes failed to trouble the Wolves at the Select Security Stadium in the festive derby and were beaten 40-0.

The Vikings were without a number of key players including Kevin Brown, Hep Cahill, Charly Runicman, Rhys Handbury, Patrick Ah Van, Setaimata Sa, Gil Dudson and new signings Chris Bridge and Chris Houston.

Several youngsters from the club’s academy, one a 16-year old hooker, played off the bench.

“It was a good start for about 10 minutes and then it got worse,” Betts said after the game.

“I thought in patches we were OK.

“[But] it just wasn’t a good overall performance.

“I’ve probably got 11 Super League starters not playing today.

“We were quiet. Warrington manufacture that enthusiasm which filters through the team.

“We probably had too many youngsters out there at some stages.

“It is what it is.”

Betts admitted the Vikings don’t really prepare for pre-season friendlies, but said the match has given his side a starting point to work from.

“If I’m honest we don’t really prepare for it,” he said.

“Most of these lads aren’t ready to play.

“I was hoping we were going to be better than we were. But it gives us a starting point.

“Today they’ve been slapped across the face…. Can we get better? Yes we can. Can we fix it? Yes we can.

“That wasn’t us today, it was a pre-season version.”