Fax's Tangata in contract talks as visit of Leeds looms

Halifax's Cook Islands forward Adam Tangata said he 'wants' to stay at the club ahead of Sunday's final home game of the season against Super League champions Leeds (3.0).

Tangata, whose fourth season at the Shay has been disrupted by injury, came close to a move to the top flight last autumn, with Wakefield, Salford and Widnes all linked with the 27 year old.

And he is rumoured to be on the close-season shopping lists of several clubs, notably London Broncos, who Fax visit next Saturday night, and cashed-up League 1 outfit Newcastle, as he continues to discuss a new deal with Richard Marshall’s side.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I am hoping to stay here,” said Tangata, who only began playing again in May after undergoing major surgery on a foot injury sustained on the final day of the 2017 season.

“I’m blue and white now so hopefully it can happen.

“I’m 27, so I’m still young and I’d still like to play at the best level I can.

“It was very close (a Super League move) last year, but the ball didn’t bounce that way and it is what it is.

“The last game last year, that was a horrific, freak injury and it put me out for eight months.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I feel like I’ve been chasing all season, trying to catch up and have a dig for the team.

“Hopefully that’s the end of the injuries now and with a full pre season I’ll hopefully be back to my best next year.”

Tangata has shown glimpses of his best form in the Qualifiers, although he was clearly frustrated by the nature of last weekend’s 26-12 loss at Widnes, a game Fax believed they had enough possession to win.

“Our errors helped them out, but they’re still a quality team and they’ve got that full-time sharpness that we don’t quite have at the moment,” said Tangata.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They’ve got some class players, no matter what their season has been like, and Krisnan Inu made the difference for them; he was clinical when he needed to be.

“We went toe to toe with them, but we were trying to play rugby in the wrong part of the field sometimes.

“When we’re trying to play from our own goalline against these teams, it just doesn’t work.

“We need to build more pressure and be more patient.

“Sunday is our last home game against the Super League champions, so everyone is looking forward to it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I think it’s the game that everyone looked for when the fixtures came out.

“To have probably the biggest club in England coming down to the Shay….all our guys are on building sites or whatever through the week so it’s an exciting game for us.

“We just want a loud, noisy day with the atmosphere pumping; it should be the best game day we’ve had for a while.”

Halifax’s final Super 8s Qualifiers fixture against London has been brought forward by almost 24 hours to next Saturday, September 29, with a 7.05pm kick off.

The game at Trailfinders Sports Club in West London had been scheduled for Sunday at 3pm, but has been switched so it can be shown live on Sky TV.