Evans in hunt for King's spot (From This Is Cheshire)

Warrington Wolves flyer Rhys Evans has bulked up for 2012 season

8:00am Saturday 4th February 2012 in Sport By Christopher Terris Taylor

TO see the benefit of sending promising young talent to train with the first team, look no further than 19-year-old Rhys Evans.

Eighteen months after the centre or winger started full-time training as part of the Wolfpack system, which annually promotes a handful of Academy players into the first team set-up to fast-track their progress into Super League, the physical improvements are marked.

And that has now put him in with a shout this season for the vacancy left by Matt King’s return to Australia.

“I think I have definitely got stronger,” said Evans, who crossed for three tries in Wolves’ two warm-up games against Widnes Vikings and South Sydney Rabbitohs.

“Playing a full season with the first team has helped a lot and I have picked up tips from the people around me.

“I picked up stuff from Kingy, Ryan Atkins and Chris Bridge. There is always someone you can learn from and I think I have absorbed a lot.”

Wolves' Welsh-born winger, an England Academy international after qualifying on his mother's side, made his first Super League appearance at the age of 17, getting a second-half cameo in the final game of the 2010 season against Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop.

His career received a huge shot in the arm last season, when he delivered a man-of-the-match perform-ance on his full debut against Leeds Rhinos at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

He also impressed in subsequent starts, alternating between left wing and left centre as he kept hold of his starting berth for a further five games.

But a disappointing showing against Huddersfield at the Galpharm Stadium marked the end of his regular run in the first team.

“To be honest, after the Leeds game I knew that my time in the team was limited," he said.

“Obviously, I couldn’t have got off to a much better start, which made it more disappointing in the games after-wards, when I felt I dropped off a bit.”

Evans soon found himself on a dual-registration loan to Championship club Leigh Centurions, a move intended to keep him in shape for a quick return to Super League. But breaking his hand against York City Knights in May led to weeks on the sidelines.

Despite that set-back, Evans further grew in stature while with Leigh.

“I think my time at Leigh was really worthwhile,” he said.

“It toughened me up quite a lot. The Championship is a difficult division to play in because it puts you against older, more experienced men and it requires you to physically toughen up very quickly.

“I think I needed that. I wasn’t getting the hard competition I needed in the under 20s and getting to play in the Championship was the best thing for me when coming off the back of that time in the first team.”

Evans exudes a positivity and a confidence that belies his young age, but stops short of being cocky, or arrogant.

That should stand him in good stead for the season ahead because, although he knows he can more than handle himself during the tests that Super League will throw at him, there is no sense of entitlement.

His only goal is to improve, even in a small way, on last year's time in the first team.

“In terms of goals for this year, I don’t really have any,” he said.

“I don’t want to put any pressure on myself. I just want to enjoy it if I get the chance.

“If I get a shot then my only hope is that I play with a bit more consistency.

“Last year’s experience will really help me in that respect, though, because that level of consistency comes with more experience and a bit more nous.

“I know I need to be in tip-top condition if I am to keep myself at a level that I’m happy about, so I will be looking to do that this year and hopefully that will pay off.”