Owen Farnworth signs new deal with Widnes

Widnes have announced that forward Owen Farnworth has signed a new three-year deal.

The 19-year-old made his debut in 2017, featuring against Leeds Rhinos on Easter Monday at loose forward, while making his home debut in 2018.

Farnworth will remain at the Vikings until the end of the 2021 season.

On his contract extension, Farnworth said: “I’m very happy to have signed my new deal and to commit to the club for another three years.

“I’ve been here for a while now, and with all the young lads coming through at the minute and also committing to the club, it’s exciting to see what we can do as a team in the future. I made my home debut this year and I want to build on that experience.

“Hopefully I can continue to work hard, impress and then push further into the first team squad.”

Vikings coach Denis Betts is a keen admirer of Farnworth and sees a big future for the England Academy star.

He said: “Owen is a tremendous talent, and we can see him improving all the time.

“He is working very hard at the moment in the first team, and to be offered a contract of this length is testament to his commitment and progress from the Academy system.

“He is a player who has been pursued quite heavily, so it is a fantastic move by the club. I’m excited to see what he will achieve in the coming seasons.”