Halifax Panthers don’t want to be underdogs in Super League promotion fight 

Halifax Panthers no longer want to be underdogs of the Championship as the club aim for promotion, says Adam Tangata.

While the forward admitted everyone loves an underdog story, he believes his side have the quality to be up there with the likes of Leigh and Featherstone in 2022.

Halifax Panthers finished third in the Championship in 2021. They defeated Whitehaven to secure a semi-final spot, before losing to Featherstone. 

Brian McDermott’s side and Leigh head into the season as favourites, but Tangata believes Halifax can also be in the running for promotion.

“Everyone loves an underdog. But, we kind of don’t want to be an underdog this year,” said the Cook Islands international. 

“More or less it (being an underdog) gives us an excuse if we didn’t go one step further to think ‘that’s okay, you’re the underdog team’. 

“I think we’re trying to get rid of that stigma for the club. If we can stay consistent with the likes of Fev and Leigh, we could be in the ball game.”

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Halifax Panthers want to entertain says Tangata

Simon Grix has recruited the likes of Joe Keyes, Kyle Wood and Lachlan Walmsley to his squad for the 2022 Championship campaign.

And Tangata says there’s plenty to be excited about at The Shay in the upcoming campaign, with the side hoping to entertain their fans.

He said: “Obviously, not trying to put any pressure on any of the boys. Every single person that we’ve signed in our spine in Joe Keyes, Cory Aston and Louis Jouffret; they’re all experienced.

“Kyle Wood, they bring in a lot of experience that we probably lacked a little bit last year.

“But obviously bringing that experience and as long as we can stay consistent for them and obviously they can be consistent for us, I feel like we’ll go another step further than we did last year.”

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Halifax the entertainers

With what fans can expect in 2022, Tangata added: “I think with the experience that we’ve got and a few signings that we brought in, the entertaining brand of rugby.

“I think we feel like we want to be an entertaining team.

“We just have a bit of fun, play rugby and I definitely feel like the players that we’ve brought in this year can help achieve what we want to do and entertaining and obviously winning games. 

“Just with who we’ve signed, Lachlan Walmsley got Championship entertainer last year.

“He’s an enthusiastic player. I love the way he plays and obviously he’s going to bring that energy about us.

“Louis Jouffret, Joe Keyes, they’re all experienced players who can sling a ball about.

“Just a brand of rugby that just these few names bring, hopefully we can just develop that within us. I definitely feel like an entertaining brand of rugby is something that Halifax would like to bring this year.”

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