Joe Wardill commits future to Hull KR

Promising youngster Joe Wardill has agreed a contract extension with Hull KR until the end of the 2021 season.

The 20-year-old utility-man still had 18 months left on his existing deal, but he has now put pen to paper on a three-year contract from the 2019 season.

Wardill is currently sidelined with a hip injury but is highly thought of by the Rovers coaching staff.

He has already scored five tries in 15 first team games and is delighted to extend his stay at KCOM Craven Park.

He said: “I already had a year and a half left on my deal so it’s good that the club has shown this amount of faith in me, especially with me missing quite a lot of time through injury.

“I think I’ve been rewarded for what I’ve shown in the past. I’ve not done much work on the field with Tim (Sheens) since he’s been at the club, I seem to have spent pretty much the full time in rehab to be honest. But Tim has taken on board what the strength and conditioners have said about my attitude in the gym and what Webbo (James Webster) and Hodgy (David Hodgson) have said when I played in the team before.

“Hopefully over these next few years I can play a lot more and focus on improving as a player, without having to worry about contracts and things like that.

“The most recent operation went successfully and I can tell everybody that I’m definitely getting better. Hopefully I’ll be looking to be back on the field in about six to eight weeks, but with this new contract sorted the club don’t want me to rush anything.

“I’ve had three ops now and I never want to have another one in my life, so I’ll take it steady and focus on what I need to do. The club have trusted me to come back fitter and stronger and I’ll make sure that I will do.”