NEW Warrington Wolves signing Anthony Gelling says he wants to end the club’s 65-year wait for league glory.
It’s 1955 since Warrington were league champions, and while they have won the League Leaders’ Shield twice during the Super League era, Grand Final glory still evades them, despite reaching the Old Trafford pinnacle four times in the past decade.
Gelling, 29, was part of the Wigan side that beat the Wolves in 2016, and after a year in the Championship at Widnes, is back in Super League looking to make his mark.
He said: “On paper, I think we’re the best team – but that doesn’t really mean much.
“The challenge is there for us as a club and as a team.
“When you see the club hasn’t won it since the 1950s, it’s long overdue.
“You look at a certain section of this group, like the Mike Coopers, Chris Hills, Stef Ratchfords – they’re all kind of getting on now and it’s almost like now or never for them.
“To be part of the team that beats the hoodoo and the curse or however you want to put it, that’ll be really special.”
Gelling has impressed coach Steve Price in pre-season and is set to be handed one of the starting centre berths when the season starts against Wigan later this month.
It will be the first time since 2017 that Gelling had played in Super League, having left Wigan to go home to New Zealand, where he spent 2018.
He added: “I’ve been out of Super League and you watch the likes of Mark Percival and Kevin Naiqama, and they’re killing it, and you’re thinking ‘woah, can I still do it they look really fast on telly!’
“I keep thinking ‘am I really that fast?’ and I don’t know anymore!
“But I think you build confidence in finding the evidence, and I’ve been working really hard this pre-season, so for me the evidence is there that I can do it, I can play at that level and I’m confident I can do a job this year.”
Gelling is one of five new signings for the Wolves this off-season, alongside Widnes team-mate Keanan Brand, Matty Ashton from Swinton, prop Samy Kibula from Wigan and marquee signing Gareth Widdop.
