Knowing he’s no longer going to be a “scapegoat", star signing Matt Dufty has vowed to come out firing for Warrington Wolves in 2023.
The electric full-back joined mid-season last July when switching from Canterbury Bulldogs. He scored 44 tries in just 82 NRL appearances with St George Illawarra, often producing dazzling play which lit up contests. But the much-maligned Dufty also came in for plenty of criticism from the Sydney press - where rugby league is king - especially when he bombed after just a few months at Canterbury.
With less intense scrutiny in the UK, he hopes to let his play do the talking. Warrington will be hoping the same after their humiliating 2022 campaign saw only relegated Toulouse finish below Daryl Powell’s big spenders. Dufty said: “Back home, they (media) find scapegoats and are pretty punishing, not just to me but to families, and a lot of players go through it.
“Over here it’s a lot more relaxed. You can just focus on training and you don’t have to worry about backlash or stuff like that. For me, I do think it’ll bring the best out of me. I came here last year when the boys were struggling a little but we showed signs we had quality players and we could do well this time around.
“Obviously, I hurt my foot in my first game, too, so I wasn’t playing at 100 per cent. But I’ve had a full pre-season now and think I’m going to come out firing.”
Dufty was limited to just six appearances last term but Wolves fans got a glimpse of his eye-catching talent when he scored four tries in one game against Huddersfield. Powell, in his second season in charge, has continued his squad overhaul with two familiar faces joining his exciting recruit. Ex-Australia forwards Josh McGuire and Paul Vaughan, who played with Dufty at St George, should bolster their pack when the season gets underway against Leeds on February 16.
On linking up with that experienced duo again, Dufty admitted: “It’s been good for me off the field. Just having someone to spend Christmas with was good. Me, Paul and Moose (McGuire) and our families all had Christmas together and that bonding off the field goes a long way on the field as well.
“I know them well and they’ll bring plenty to Warrington. The fans are obviously hoping for a quick fix (after 2022) and a quick turnaround. Hopefully we can do that. We’ve got two trial games which will be really important just to get combinations right and see where we are as a team.
“On paper, we’ve definitely got a squad that can challenge for some silverware. We’ve got a good chance of having a real crack this year. “Everyone has been training really hard and we’ve just got to take that onto the field to turn it around.”
