HUNTER Wildfires deadeye Connor Winchester is the best goalkicker in the Shute Shield. Daylight second.
The tall No.10 converted at the incredibly clip of 86 per cent last season and almost single-handedly won games with his left boot.
A fringe player at Norths in 2021, Winchester made the Wildfires' No.10 jumper his own and finished top 10 in voting for the Catchpole Medal.
Although happy with the progress, Winchester, 25, wants to add other aspects to his game and believes Newcastle is the best environment to develop and has re-signed.
"At the moment, I'm pretty one dimensional with kicking," he said. "If I can be a triple threat player, that will help the team a lot.
"As a 10 game management is pretty important and I felt like I grew in that department. I just want to be a more well-rounded player next season with my attacking game and also in defence. I just have to put the time in. Get to training early and stay late."
Winchester is among the core of last season's squad who have recommitted and are ripping in at preseason training after missing the finals last season by two bonus points.
"It was pretty tough to miss out on the finals after a pretty good season," Winchester said. "It was one of the tightest competitions in Shute Shield history. There is definitely some unfinished business. I'm not accepting anything but finals next season. All the boys feel the same way. We felt robbed last season, in the sense that we robbed ourselves We definitely have a point to prove."
The biggest issue last season was the Wildfires slow starts. In the opening 11 games, they trailed, usually inside 15 minutes.
"We had a meeting on Tuesday after training to talk about weaknesses to address from last season," the fly-half said. "Our starts in the first half of the season were poor. It hurt us so much. If we can get out of the blocks this year, it will take the pressure off everyone. We know we have the engine to last the full 80, it is just the mindset."
After starting from scratch last season, the Wildfires are far more advanced.
"From a tactical perspective, playing alongside them for a year, we know each others game and have combinations," Winchester said. "Also from a cultural and mateship perspective, we have had a lot of training sessions, games and night out together now. We are like brothers. It will definitely help on the field."
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