Even Josh Thewlis can’t believe how long he’s been a Betfred Super League player. Still only 22, the Warrington Wolves winger is in his sixth season and now has his first major final to look forward to this weekend.
A product of famous community club Waterhead, a club which has produced Super League greats such as Kevin Sinfield, Barrie McDermott and Paul Sculthorpe, Thewlis made his debut for Wolves aged 17 in 2019 and has since become a regular at the premiere. team.
It’s only in the last three seasons that the Oldham native has truly established himself at Warrington, but he’s excited to see his hard work pay off as he prepares to make the bid Wolves to win the Betfred Challenge Cup at Wembley on Saturday. .
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Josh Thewlis intercepts a wayward Leeds Rhinos pass as his try gives Warrington Wolves a commanding 32-8 lead.
“I was told this year that it was my sixth season and I couldn’t believe it,” Thewlis said. Aerial sports. “When you look back, there are a lot of lessons along the way and it hasn’t been easy, but it’s something I’m grateful for.
“In the last three years I have been playing more regularly, building combinations with players and playing with some of the best players.
“George Williams, Danny Walker, Matty Ashton – they’re all playing for England at the moment and that’s where I want to be, and I’m learning every day.
“It’s my first final and I’m looking forward to it. I’m only 22, I don’t have any honors under my belt yet, so I’m hoping to change that this weekend, have a medal around my neck and enjoy with the guys.”
Thewlis, who is also capable of playing at full-back, has already shown his trying prowess this year. He has made a career-high 11 in all competitions, including eight in the Super League, making him the league’s ninth highest scorer and Wolves’ joint top scorer alongside Matt Dufty.
The Super League Young Player of the Year for 2023 also continues rugby league’s fine tradition of goal-kicking wingers, taking over tee duties in the absence of the kicker Warrington regular Stefan Ratchford earlier this season and hitting 25 of 32 attempts on goal. so far.
It was a responsibility Thewlis handled regularly during his youth and when head coach Sam Burgess asked him to take it over before 2024, he immediately went to Ratchford for advice on perfecting his technical.
“When I was younger I was always scoring goals,” Thewlis said. “I probably let things relax a bit at the academy because Stef was there and he’s an incredible kicker – he’s a master at it.
I was told this year that it was my sixth season and I couldn’t believe it. When you look back, there are a lot of lessons along the way and it hasn’t been easy, but it’s something I’m grateful for.
“When Sam told me about kicking, I went straight to Stef. When you kick a football, you never lose it, but you just have to look at the little details that Stef looks at.
“He talks about his planted foot, his lead, his pace on the ball – things I’ve never worried about. I tried to follow his rhythm a little bit, he has his own way and that’s it .
“He’s very focused and doesn’t stray from that, and I’m a little more relaxed. He understands that too and is a brilliant mentor. I’d be stupid not to learn from him.”
Ratchford, who featured in Warrington Challenge Cup final triumphs in 2012 and 2019 and has played just about every position on the pitch at some point in his career, also proved to be a mentor to Thewlis in a sense more general.
Josh Thewlis has taken over as Warrington’s kicker in the absence of Stefan Ratchford
Having England captain George Williams as a teammate and Burgess as head coach, both of whom have extensive Super League and Australian NRL experience, means he also has plenty of resources to draw on, while director of rugby of Warrington, Gary Chambers. has been there to guide us since Thewlis joined the club’s academy.
The England Knights international is determined to continue to gather everything he can from those around him and work hard to ensure he achieves his ambition of representing the entire national team at Test level.
But first there’s the mental aspect of playing on one of rugby league’s biggest stages to deal with for the first time as Wolves take on reigning Super League champions and winners of the World Club Challenge, not to mention fierce north-west rivals Wigan Warriors in the Challenge Cup final.
“Super League games I’m normally fine, but I heard you’ve been in the tunnel for quite a while at Wembley and there’s a lot going on,” Thewlis said.
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Highlights as Wigan Warriors beat Warrington Wolves 19-18 in last Saturday’s Betfred Super League match, ahead of their Betfred Challenge Cup final encounter at Wembley.
“It’s something I’ve never experienced before, but I’m pretty laid back anyway, so I think I’ll be fine. I’m just really looking forward to going there and doing my best for the ‘team.
“These are the games you dream of playing when you’re younger, these are the games your mum and dad commit to traveling to Warrington three times a week for.
“I can’t wait to go out and see them in the crowd, and it will be worth it. I hope we get that win too – that would be an amazing feeling.”
Watch every match from the 2024 Betfred Super League season, including Magic Weekend, play-offs and men’s, women’s and wheelchair grand finals, live on Aerial sports. Also stream with NOW.
