Newtown buoyed by recruitment of former Valleys premiership winners

RUGBY LEAGUE: The recruitment drive of Newtown has continued with a pair of premiership winners to join the club for 2021.

Kalemb Hart. Photo: Kevin Farmer

RUGBY LEAGUE: The recruitment drive of Newtown has continued with a pair of premiership winners to join the club for 2021.

Richard Murray and Kalemb Hart have both signed on to be a part of the Lions return to the top flight, as Newtown’s squad builds with the credentialed pair.

Both Murray and Hart played in the 2018 grand final victory of Valleys, with Murray linking with the Western Mustangs in 2019 and Hart missing the finals due to injury as the Roosters went back-to-back.

Hart reached the heights of the U20s competition with the Broncos in 2017, playing alongside the likes of Corey Allan, Patrick Carrigan, Kotoni Staggs and Payne Haas.

“We go back a long way. I coached his brother in Coffs, and when he got the opportunity he progressed through the Broncos,” A-grade coach Col Speed said.

“He went to Valleys and we stayed in touch and to his credit, when it was announced I took the Newtown job, he texted me and said he’d come over.

“Kalemb’s a massive strike weapon in attack and he’s pretty intimidating when he’s defending.

“He’s had a lot of success and knows what it takes to be in a successful team which is something that we’ve been looking for.

“He’s got a good attitude off the field and he will fit in well with our culture.”

Richard Murray. Photo: Nev Madsen

Murray continued his growth in the Hastings Deering Colts competition last year, showing his versatility in the centres and back row, an asset that will benefit the Lions according to Speed.

“I didn’t know a great deal about him, but he impressed me when he first came to training,” he said.

“He has a great deal of skill and brings a competitiveness to win. Richard has a lot of attributes as a ballplayer, brings a good attitude and knows how to run good lines.

“There is a lot of potential there that we hope we can enhance.

“Richard will be a great asset as a utility. It’s too early to call what his role will be, whether it be on an edge or in the core, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far and he gives us a lot of options.”

Murray is the second Mustangs player from the U20s last season to join the Lions after Austin Jennings put pen to paper last month.

Newtown will host its sign on day this Sunday.