Evans in tune after time in Tamworth
Warriors new recruit Kane Evans says he can already see the benefits of the team being in camp in Tamworth.
Unlike the other 15 NRL clubs, the Warriors are once again holed up together in the New South Wales city as they prepare for the start of the new season.
Players from those other teams have the usual distractions of living in their homes, but the Warriors are back in the resort they were in when the season resumed after the coronavirus break last season.
With little to do, the players naturally bond together while the coaches have a captive audience.
So for the likes of Evans, who has joined the Warriors from the Eels and was in the Warriors’ Australian pre-Christmas camp, he has been able to slot in quicker than he would have otherwise.
‘‘The transition for me has been awesome,’’ Evans said yesterday.
‘‘That’s because I had the two weeks in Kiama and that was just with the Australianbased crew.
‘‘Over those two weeks leading into Christmas, I really got to know everyone well.
‘‘Then I came here [Tamworth] and met the New Zealand staff and players and I’ve got to know everyone.
‘‘We’re all bonding as a crew and you fastforward getting to know everyone. We’re tight-knit and it’s only been a week and a bit.’’
The Warriors will spend a month in Tamworth, before moving to Terrigal on the Central Coast.
More of the players’ families will reunite when they get to Terrigal, but for now many them are away from their loved ones.
That’s tough, but for the club it also has benefits as new head coach Nathan Brown is able to spend more time working with the players.
‘‘Most teams won’t be able to have all of this time together, so he’s definitely making use of it, with late night video sessions and extra training sessions,’’ Evans said.
‘‘So there’s really no excuse for us not to have a good year and go where we want to go. It’s been long days. Even though we’re living together, the days seem longer than normal because we’ve had those late night video sessions.’’
Evans worked under Brad Arthur at the Eels and prior to that came under the instruction of Trent Robinson at the Roosters. So it’s fair to say Evans knows how a good coach operates and he’s been impressed with his time with Brown so far.
‘‘It’s only been a week and half that I’ve been with Browny, but I’m definitely loving what we’ve been practising, especially the shapes we have coming this year on attack,’’ he said. ‘‘They’re looking exciting and I can’t wait to pull them off.’’
Evans is one of a number of big forwards the Warriors signed for the upcoming campaign. The 29-year-old said he could have chosen to go to other clubs for this year, but was swayed by what the Warriors were trying to achieve.
‘‘I had a few offers, but seeing the potential that the Warriors have and being able to give my services to try to better this club, I took it as a challenge and I wanted to be a part of it,’’ he said.