COATES TARGETS CAPITAL GAINS VERSUS BRONCOS

Home-grown half back looks ahead to round 22 v London

Half back Dan Coates is ready to face his old club today, as Newcastle Thunder host London Broncos in rugby league’s Betfred Championship (KO 3pm)

Although a Durham boy and Thunder academy product, Coates spread his wings as sport restarted after Covid and started 2022 as part of the Broncos squad after impressing for Coventry Bears during 2021.

Having developed considerably in that time, a mid-season opportunity to return to the north east was seized upon by the 22-year-old to take his next steps back at his first club.

Coates said: “It’s been good to come home after the move to London didn’t quite work out.  The club got in touch back in the spring and offered me a contract after doing a couple of training sessions with them which was great.

“I got quite a few games in when I first came back and enjoyed playing in those and I’ve also had a game out on loan at Whitehaven so it’s been a good experience.

“It’s a very different environment at Thunder from the last time I was here. Going from part-time to full-time, obviously, you get a lot more time to develop your game. 

“The club has changed a lot too and it’s a much more professional environment. Making that step up to Championship the club has had to change a lot of things, but that is all for the good.”

Though his sojourn to the South proved to be a short one, Coates made the most of the opportunities that came his way and featured in all four of the capital club’s early season games whilst there.

Having been a part of the squad that has remained largely unchanged since he left, Coates is well placed to lay out what sort of challenge his Thunder team can expect to face.

“The squad hasn’t changed that much from when I was there, it has just gelled a lot more. They are good bunch of lads and we are expecting a tough game that is going to be very physical.

“Going to the Broncos was a good experience overall; it gave me a bit of life experience moving away from home and being so far away. I enjoyed it even though things didn’t work out with the rugby, and I still keep in contact with a lot of the lads.”

Having put in a creditable performance last weekend against play-off chasing York City Knights, Thunder return home looking to extend their unbeaten run at Kingston Park to four games.

Though shorn of a number of key personnel through injury and suspension, Coates says the side can use last week’s performance as a foundation.

“We need to keep momentum going, keep doing what we did well against York and take that forward into the London game and build from that.

“We’ve lost a few people through injuries and bans but the overall atmosphere in camp is good, everyone is excited and looking forward to playing at home again and hopefully getting a win.”

Tickets for this afternoon’s round 22 match can be bought by clicking here or from the stadium box office from 12 Noon