Matt Dufty spoke to Wigan duo prior to his Super League switch
Warrington’s new recruit Matt Dufty was sold on his move to England after chatting to his former team-mates Kaide Ellis and Jai Field, who are now at Wigan.
The Australian full-back has linked up with the Wolves on deal until the end of 2024.
Dufty said wanted to get out of the rugby league-mad Sydney bubble and experience life in a different country.
The 26-year-old had conversations with his former St George Illawarra Dragons team-mates Ellis and Field about life in Super League.
“Kaide Ellis is one of my best mates,” Dufty said. “We lived together for two years and he’s at Wigan now.
“He was telling me how much he likes the lifestyle here living in England. That was another big selling point for me as well so I just decided it was the right time.”
WOLF: Everything Matt Dufty said on his move to Super League with Warrington
Jai Field sold it to me: Matt Dufty
“Me and Fieldy played a lot of Under-20s together at St George,” Dufty said. “We played a few first-grade games together.
“Me and him have been pretty similar in the way we play. We’ve got speed, we love to skip around the field and we’ve got ball play.
“He was under a bit of pressure with the media in his last year there, but he told me it is a lot better over here. It suits the way he likes to play footy.
“Fieldy said he loves living over here in Manchester. He did sell it to me and we are going to catch up for a coffee this week sometime.”
Dufty is in line to make his Warrington debut in Saturday’s trip to Huddersfield. He replaces Josh Thewlis in Powell’s squad.
Meanwhile, Huddersfield coach Ian Watson has only named a 19-man squad for the game. Leroy Cudjoe misses out through suspension, but half-back Olly Russell retains his place despite suffering an arm injury last week.
Adam O’Brien could make his return for the Giants. Ireland World Cup hopeful Louis Senior is once again named in Watson’s squad.
Warrington: Amor, Ashton, Bullock, D Clark, J Clark, Currie, Davis, Dean, Dufty, Harrison, Holmes, Mata’utia, Mikaele, Minikin, Mulhern, Nicholson, Ratchford, Walker, Wardle, Williams, Wrench.
Huddersfield: Pryce, Golding, Fages Levi, Lawrence, Jones, McQueen, Yates, English, Greenwood, Trout, O’Brien, Wilson, L Senior, Russell, I Senior, Ashworth, Hewitt, King.
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