Warrington Wolves boss makes Tom Whitehead admission and recruitment hint
Tom Whitehead is the subject of interest from Hull KR but will spend the next month on loan at Salford Red Devils (Image: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)
SAM Burgess has admitted that, while he values him highly as a player, he may have to let Tom Whitehead leave Warrington Wolves.
The loose forward is the subject of strong interest from Super League leaders and Challenge Cup winners Hull KR, who are believed to have had a transfer bid accepted for his services.
Advertisement
Whitehead's immediate future lies at Salford Red Devils, with the 22-year-old having joined Super League's bottom club on a four-week loan alongside teammate Dan Russell as part of the deal that brought Sam Stone to Warrington.
Longer-term, however, the academy graduate's future appears to lie elsewhere despite him being under contract with The Wire until the end of next year.
Having progressed through the club's academy, Whitehead has made 11 first-team appearances – two of which have come this season – while he has also spent several spells out on loan.
This season alone, he has turned out for London Broncos, Keighley Cougars and Halifax Panthers as well as the Wire reserves but a more permanent departure looks to be in the offing after Burgess admitted he currently struggles to see a path to more regular first-team opportunities for him at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Read more
Sam Burgess responds to Sam Stone criticism with Rowley comments addressed
Advertisement
Devastating Lindop injury news confirmed as Burgess reveals fresh concern
Two ticket offers for Warrington Wolves' next home game
'I love Tommy and he's such a great player. I don't know what's out there but I know he's got some interest from other clubs,' he said.
'We value Tommy – he's been at the club since he was 14 and he's a good lad to have around, but sometimes these opportunities can be good for players.
'He's behind a couple of players at 13 here so if opportunities do arise for him, he'll take them.
'We do value him and he's a great lad but we've been pretty open about everything with him.
Advertisement
'He's at Salford for a month and it will be good for him to get some game time. We've been trying to find that time for him all year but we've not had enough opportunity for him.'
Burgess also had his say on the departure of off-season recruit Russell, who will spend the remainder of the season at Salford having played 10 times for Warrington this season.
'It's given him the opportunity to play a bit of first-team. It seemed like the right fit,' the Wire boss said of the back-rower.
'We'll get to see him over a long period of time, which will be good for Dan.'
Sam Burgess open to more Warrington Wolves recruitment
Stone is the second player Warrington have signed from Salford in-season, with scrum-half Marc Sneyd having made the move in March.
Advertisement
And although he played down the prospect of anything immediate, Burgess hinted he may not be the last mid-season recruit to arrive.
Clubs have until August 1 to add players to their ranks immediately and the Wolves head coach has left the possibility of more arrivals on the table.
'I don't know yet. We've still got a little bit of space so we'll see,' he said when asked about the prospect of further recruitment.
'We're keeping everything open, really. With the way things are going for us this year, we're staying versatile.
'We're not actively looking but there is an opportunity if something arises for us.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
41 minutes ago
- Forbes
Golf Gives Gareth Bale A New Sport To Try To Master
Gareth Bale putts during the first round of the Sunningdale Foursomes at Sunningdale Golf Club in ... More England. To say Gareth Bale's tenure at Real Madrid was polarizing is an understatement. From 2013-22, Bale dazzled on the field by scoring 106 goals across all competitions—two more than Ronaldo—and his bicycle kick against Liverpool in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final is heralded as one of the best goals in Champions League Final history. Bale also won 15 trophies while playing in the Spanish capital—more than double Zinedine Zidane's tally of six as a Madrid player. Despite achieving the success and accolades most players could only dream of, the Welshman still faced criticism. Some questioned why he didn't speak Spanish publicly, though Bale has since come out saying he didn't want to 'have this big fuss around me.' Others even questioned his priorities and commitment to the club. Former Real Madrid sporting director Pedja Mijatovic claimed on the radio that despite not speaking to Bale, the impression he got was that the player's priorities were allegedly: 'Wales, golf and Madrid—in that order.' While soccer remained his passion and priority until he retired in January 2023, Bale was introduced to another competitive outlet during his time at Tottenham Hotspur when he was about 20 years old: golf. 'You're playing football all the time, so it's nice to kind of mix it up,' Bale said recently from adidas global headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany. 'It's difficult to play other sports, so if you're playing tennis or another sport where it requires a lot of movement, it can really tire you out, but in golf you can get around it in a cart where you're getting in and out hitting golf shots and it's not massively strenuous. 'Once you start to hit a couple of cleaner shots, it kind of really sucks you in and gets you addicted.' After starring for Southampton as a teenager, Bale signed a four-year deal with Tottenham in 2007. Playing with teammates mainly during the offseason or on the rare off day from training, golf gave Bale another competitive outlet without the physical demands—and risks—that came with professional soccer. 'Basically as soon as I started playing, that natural competitive instinct of trying to get better went in straight away,' said Bale, a five-time UEFA Champions League winner. 'And you just want to keep improving—playing better, shooting better scores, not losing so many balls. It was that natural progression.' As his soccer career progressed, including a brief loan spell with Spurs as well as a 13 appearances with LAFC, Bale's golf obsession continued to blossom in the background as he helped his national team qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup for the first time in 64 years. (Celebrating with a Welsh flag with 'Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.' written on it certainly didn't win over any Madridistas.) Bale's backyard of his Welsh estate is a golfer's paradise with replica holes of TPC Sawgrass' Island Green, Augusta National's Golden Bell and Royal Troon's Postage Stamp. He's played in Pro-Ams and charity competitions as he continues to lower his handicap, which was at 0.1 as of February. He was quick to point out he wasn't officially scratch (0.0) yet, meaning shooting par or better on a regular basis. Bale also continues to work with adidas as he transitions from the soccer field to the fairway. Rather than sharing feedback on optimizing soccer cleats to give him a competitive advantage as he speeds by defenders, Bale is now providing feedback on adidas golf shoes and apparel. 'I always say in football it was so important to me as I got faster and more powerful, I needed a boot that could withstand the amount of weight I was putting on it so my foot wouldn't move and I was able to react quickly,' he said. 'It's having that same kind of stability through the foot where you can go after a drive knowing where you push off the ground, your foot's not really going to slip inside the shoe and also having the traction on the bottom so you stay on the grass. 'I think it's so important to have the confidence in your footwear that you're able to not really have to think about it so you can concentrate on the more important aspects of your game which is trying to hit the ball straight.' Recently linked to a U.S.-based private equity company eyeing a potential takeover of Plymouth Argyle, whether or not Bale gets into club ownership is still to be determined, but his pursuit of perfection on the course remains. 'I knew I wasn't going to master it quite like I did football,' Bale said. 'It was something I really enjoyed doing and, most importantly, was able to do (during my playing career).'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
England's Hannah Hampton aiming to ‘fill the gloves' of Mary Earps at Euro 2025
Hannah Hampton says she will do her best to 'fill the gloves' of the goalkeepers who came before her at this summer's European Championship. Mary Earps's shock international retirement at the end of May left Chelsea's Hampton as England's No 1 ahead of their Euros title defence in Switzerland. Advertisement Hampton, 24, has kept seven clean sheets in 15 senior appearances, but has never played at a major international tournament. When asked about her journey at a media day ahead of the tournament, Hampton told reporters: 'Did I think, when I was a young girl, I'd be sitting here right now in the position I am? Absolutely not, but am I proud and am I looking forward to the challenges ahead? Yes. 'I'm going to be trying my absolute best to fill the gloves of the 'keepers (who came) before and the success they've had.' Earps's retirement at age 32 came as a shock to head coach Sarina Wiegman, who admitted she was 'disappointed' by the Paris Saint-Germain player's decision. Advertisement However, Hampton was already in pole position for the starting spot at the Euros before Earps stepped back. She had started three consecutive matches across February and April and Wiegman confirmed after those games that the Chelsea 'keeper was 'a little bit ahead' of Earps. With Earps retired and backups (Orlando Pride's Anna Moorhouse and Manchester City's Khiara Keating) having no international caps, Hampton is the undisputed No 1. 'Getting that bit of clarity already helps you prepare for whatever your role is,' Hampton told reporters. 'My role is different this time around compared to the last tournaments but it's not going to change my mindset. I'm there to enjoy myself, do the nation proud with all the girls, and get memories.' Asked about Earps' retirement, Hampton added: 'We have to obviously respect what her decision is. Advertisement 'I think there's been quite a bit of scrutiny that she probably doesn't deserve with everything that she's achieved in the game and obviously put women's goalkeeping on the map for the younger generation. 'I've sent her a text and I congratulated her on a very successful international career and I think that's all I really can do.' Hampton also paid tribute to Earps as a 'big personality' in the England fold. She said: 'I don't think I could safely say I'm probably as vocal or as big a personality as Mary, when she was playing (for England). 'It's probably one thing I have got to learn from a lot.' Advertisement England play Jamaica on June 29, their final game before kicking off their Euros title defence against France on July 5. They also face the Netherlands and Wales in their group. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. UK Women's Football, Women's World Cup 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Every winner of the 2025 Football in Berkshire Awards
Every winner of the 2025 Football in Berkshire Awards (Image: Pixabay) Football in Berkshire celebrated another action-packed Berkshire Football Awards ceremony at Double-Barrelled Brewery in Reading. Another sold-out audience was in attendance to see the great and good of football across the county be recognised for their hard-work. Take a look below at the winners. Matchday Experience: Winners: Windsor & Eton Advertisement Short Listed: Burnham FC Reading YMCA Tadley Calleva Supporter of the Season: Winners: Eloise Berry-Hargreaves – Hungerford Town Short Listed: Callum Withers – Slough Town Christopher Dawson – Windsor & Eton Katie and Neil Bridgland – Reading Women Grounds Team of the Season: Winners: Jason Stewart – Maidenhead United Short Listed: Lewis Clements & George Gould – Windsor & Eton Mark Lemm & Luke Howroyd – Reading YMCA Reading City Ground Staff Volunteer of the Season: Winners: Angy King – Reading Women Short Listed Connor McNeish – Slough Town Mark Bradley – Cookham Dean Natasha Loughrey – Wokingham Town Natasha Pantony – Eversley & California Photographer of the Season: Winners: John Leakey – Bracknell Town Short Listed: Charlee Bradbury Daisy Spiers Neil Graham Goal of the Season: Winners: Anas Igozouln – Ascot United Short Listed: Alex Woodhead – Finchampstead Megan Halfacree – Maidenhead United Scott Davies – Slough Town Best Website: Short Listed: Burghfield FC Burnham FC Slough Town Windsor & Eton Best Content Creator: Winners: Ryan Sheehan & Reading City Short Listed: Caversham United Harry McBain – Wokingham Town Tadley Calleva Best Individual Event: Winners: Caversham United Women v Reading FC Women Short Listed: Caversham United Kit Competition Clive McNelly Memorial Match (Wokingham Town) EBFL Showcase Football Writer of the Season: Winners: Dave Read – Wandering Tractor Advertisement Short Listed: Base of the Pyramid Neal Jeffs – Ascot United Peter Matthews – Reading Women Physio of the Season: Winners: Casey Smyth – Windsor & Eton Short Listed: Dan Harris – Bracknell Town Declan Dowling – Thatcham Town Salil Das – Binfield Manager of the Season (Women): Winners: Cathy Corr – Windsor & Eton Short Listed: Andy Cox – Ascot United Emeka Ehenulo – AFC Caversham Ryan Robinson – Maidenhead United Development Manager of the Season (Men): Winners: Devonn Reid – Westwood Wanderers Short Listed: Bailey Gandolfi – FC Bracknell Jamie Tompkins – Ascot United Matty Angell – Windsor & Eton Mitchel Cooper & Darryl Jelly – Eversley & California Referee of the Season: Winners: Lola Pollard Short Listed Charles Walker Dave Pilling Juliette Forgham Young Player of the Year (Male) Winners: Ty Moorcroft – Woodley United Short Listed CJ Fubler – Binfield Ethan Kitching – Windsor & Eton Jamie Davies – Maidenhead United/Thatcham Town Jaden Odama – Wokingham Town Young Player of the Year (Female) Winners: Ava Broke-Smith – Maidenhead United Short Listed: Cherry Preisner – Reading Emma Donovan – Windsor & Eton Lucy Giles – Woodley United Molly Brookes – Ashridge Park Player of the Season (Male) Winners: Pawel Kowalkowski – Windsor & Eton Short Listed Jack Beech – Maidenhead Town Mark Scott – Ascot United Pawel Kowalkowski – Windsor & Eton Reece Smith – Maidenhead United Player of the Season (Female) Winner: Lana Cashmore – Finchampstead Advertisement Short Listed Lauren Broadhurst – Ashridge Park Lucy Bolitho – Reading Sarah Lawrence – Woodley United Darrell Freeland Award for Service to the Local Game Margaret Wrigley
