Whitehaven Coach James Newton Focuses On Performance Ahead Of Championship Play Offs
Whitehaven head coach James Newton is keeping his attention firmly on his own team as the club prepares for a Championship play off clash with Midlands Hurricanes.
The game is scheduled for Saturday, with Newton and his players preparing carefully after securing their place in the play offs.
Whitehaven’s preparations include reviewing their most recent match before turning their full attention to the weekend challenge.
The squad was due to look back over Sunday’s victory against local rivals Workington Town, giving the coaching staff an opportunity to assess the performance and identify areas that can be improved.
Newton will then take the players onto the pitch on Thursday to work through the game plan for the meeting with Midlands Hurricanes. The fixture represents an important stage of the Championship season, with Whitehaven now entering the play off campaign and looking to continue the progress made during the latter part of the season.
Whitehaven have already faced Midlands Hurricanes twice during the current Championship campaign, giving both sides some familiarity with one another.
The first meeting took place at the Ortus Rec in March, when the two teams finished level at 20 to 20 after an evenly contested encounter.
The second meeting came in June, when Whitehaven produced a stronger result on the road by defeating Midlands Hurricanes 30 to 20. That previous away victory will provide Whitehaven with useful experience ahead of Saturday’s play off meeting, although Newton is not allowing those earlier results to dictate his approach.
Midlands Hurricanes finished their regular season with a high scoring performance against North Wales Crusaders on Sunday, recording 98 points against the team at the bottom of the table.
However, Newton's focus remains on how Whitehaven perform rather than becoming distracted by the attacking numbers produced by their opponents in their final league match.
The Whitehaven coach has emphasised the importance of his side concentrating on its own standards, preparation and execution as the team approaches the play offs.
That approach has also been reflected in the development of a strong sense of togetherness around the club during Newton’s time in charge.
Newton believes that unity extends beyond the playing squad, with volunteers, officials and supporters also contributing to the atmosphere and identity developing around Whitehaven.
The club's progress has come during a period in which Newton has overseen the team from the coaching position, with his emphasis on performance and continued improvement helping Whitehaven reach the play off stage.
With Saturday’s fixture now approaching, Whitehaven will use the final days of preparation to refine their plans before taking on Midlands Hurricanes, with Newton determined that the team’s own performance will remain the central priority.
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