Super League: Widnes sign Gil Dudson from Wigan
Monday 12 January 2015 21:06, UK
Widnes have signed prop Gil Dudson from Wigan on a two-year contract.
The 24-year-old Wales international, who joined the Warriors from Welsh club Crusaders in 2012, was a member of the team that completed the Challenge Cup and Super League Grand Final double in 2013.
However, he made just 15 appearances last season and missed out on the club's run to Old Trafford as runners-up to St Helens.
With the return of Lee Mossop to Wigan from Parramatta and the signings of Taulima Tautai from Wakefield and Larne Patrick from Huddersfield, Dudson was set to fall further down the pecking order of front-row forwards at the DW Stadium and his departure eases pressure on Wigan's salary cap.
Wigan coach Shaun Wane said: "Gil found chances hard to come by last year and, with competition for places in the front row set to be even more intense this year, I simply couldn't guarantee him the game time that he wanted.
"With that in mind, it seemed the right thing to do was to let him join another team. Widnes are a great club that are on the up and I wish them and Gil all the best for the future."
Recruit
Dudson becomes the Vikings' fourth recruit for the new season following the arrivals of Aaron Heremaia from Hull, Manase Manuokafoa from Bradford and Chris Clarkson from Leeds.
Widnes coach Denis Betts said: "It's great that we have been able to get Gil to join us. Signing Gil shows our drive and ambition to make this squad stronger with the right kind of people.
"He is big, he's strong, he's got international pedigree and I think he is young enough to really make a massive mark in the game over the next few years. As a club, we are ambitious and we think Gil is the right fit to move forward with us as a team.
"Gil is highly regarded by his peers, so it will be nice to see how he settles in over the next few weeks, and hopefully he will sail through a massive year in 2015."
