By Martin Morgan

Last updated at 09:46, Saturday, 25 July 2009

WHITEHAVEN pulled off a surprise on signing deadline day yesterday by taking Wigan Warriors centre Andy Thornley on loan until the end of the season.

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And he will be joined at the club by Scott Lofthouse, one of the amateur game’s top performers, who has switched to the Recre on trial.

Thornley, 20, was a star of Wigan’s Under-21s last term, playing a major role in their Grand Final defeat of old rivals St Helens.

He has been on loan at Salford this term, and is available to Haven for the final six games of the season and the play-offs.

“We now have cover in the centres,” said coach Ged Stokes.

Kells centre Lofthouse, who is joining Haven on a four-game trial, was top try scorer and man-of-the-series in the recent BARLA Great Britain South Pacific tour.

“He came away from the tour with some fairly good reports, and if he can bring that form to us, he’ll certainly put himself in the frame,” said Stokes.

“He’s well put together and has a good training ethic in the gym. But this is a different game, and it’s a case of adapting to it.

“A trial period is best for both parties. At 24, he’s quite late to be signing, and he just has to make sure it’s for him.

“And we need to know he can step up to the mark.”

Lofthouse scored a hat-trick in GB’s final tour game, a narrow defeat by Fiji Bati, in front of 5,000 fans, and he later revealed he would have swapped his try-haul for a win.

Centre Scott McAvoy will miss tomorrow’s trip to bottom club Doncaster with a groin problem.

It is not the same injury that plagued him over the last close-season and he is expected to be fit to face Sheffield next week.

Struggling Doncaster have lost most of their top performers over recent weeks, but Stokes is wary ahead of tomorrow’s clash (3pm).

“A lot of their players have come through Super League Academies, and their structures and systems are good,” the coach added.

“They just lack experience, but if we give them a look-in, with their youth and enthusiasm, they could be difficult. Take away the scorelines against them, and they have played some good rugby.”

First published at 09:04, Saturday, 25 July 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk