Widders to Practise His Magic in England
Widders to practise his magic in England
Daniel Lane | August 3, 2008
South Sydney forward Dean Widders is expected to help develop English rugby league when he links up with Super League club Castleford.
Widders will play out his contract with the Rabbitohs before starting a three-year deal with the Tigers. And the English club also hopes he can be as positive an influence for them off the field as he's been at Souths.
"We're aware of all the good things Dean has done at Souths with kids in the Redfern area," Castleford football manager Mick Robinson said.
"I understand he is helping to develop the South Sydney academy for elite juniors, and that is exactly the type of project we'd like to involve Dean in over here.
"A reason we targeted him is, apart from his obvious talent, he is also a great advertisement for the quality of person who plays league. He can have an enormous influence on young people in this city.
"And we intend to use his knowledge on such things as rugby league development to help take the standard of our junior football to another level. It's a win-win for Castleford."
Widders, a veteran of 159 NRL games, was released by the Rabbitohs to accept "an attractive" offer to join the exodus of Australians and New Zealanders to England.
Castleford, without the wealth of powerhouses such as St Helens, Leeds and Wigan, were still able to buy the likes of former NRL players Brent Sherwin, Michael Korkidas, Awen Guttenbeil, Ryan McGoldrick, Mitchell Sargent and Ned Catic. They had also considered Steve Menzies.
Releasing Widders, who has been playing for Souths' feeder club Norths, would've been a tough call for Rabbitohs owner Russell Crowe, who declared his "love" for the boy from Armidale during last year's ground-breaking documentary on the club, Southside Story.
"Dean is one of the game's true gentlemen, a hard-working community hero and a fine footballer," Rabbitohs chief executive Shane Richardson said. "We wish him the best of luck at Castleford."
Robinson, who managed the 1998 Australian Aborigines side that Widders made at just 16, said the club had completed its recruitment from the NRL ranks - for now.
