Tommy Makinson keen to make up for lost year of rugby

An ankle injury in 2015 derailed his year just as he was finding form and his bad luck continued last term when he damaged his knee ACL on Easter Monday and was ruled out for the rest of the campaign.

But after a good period of rehab, Makinson is fit and raring to go with the 216 metres he chewed up on the first night of Super League showing his keenness to work.

But he is also itching to get his on the ball in attacking positions - and some of that frustration came out last week at Leigh when he was seen looking pretty animated after not been given a chance to run.

With even the chairman Eamonn McManus stating at the start of the year that he wants to see wings running the tries in down the flanks, big things are expected of the partnership between him and new Australian signing Ryan Morgan.

But teething troubles between those two were only part of the problems Saints faced on Friday at Leigh.

Makinson said: “It was my fault really – I can get frustrated in a game at times.

“It was not just because Morgs did not pass the ball on that occasion – it was the whole game, the way it went and not getting that much involvement.

“I thought I had had a good game against Leeds on the opening night and wanted the same again.

“But we didn’t do ourselves any favours at Leigh. We did not play well as a team and so I was frustrated in myself and then with a few calls in the game.”

The 25-year-old Wiganer is confident that a three-quarter also comprising Adam Swift and England centre Mark Percival can offer more threat this year, particularly when Zeb Taia’s strong running is put into the mix on the edge.

But having seen glimpses of some of Morgan’s Gidleyesque handling there is genuine anticipation around what the pair can produce when they click.

“That partnership with me and Morgs will come,” Makinson said.

“He is very good player and we saw that in training as soon as he came.

“We are definitely looking forward to pitches drying out a bit, because they are cutting up at the minute and it is not for the really quick players yet.

“We have strike across the park.”

Having been in the England training squad in 2014, Makinson has seen other wingers come past him and consolidate their places in the national squad after enduring a frustrating couple of seasons.

But the versatile outside back was now keen on showing what he can now he is fully fit.

“I had missed about a year’s worth of rugby but all that is behind me.

“I missed three months in 2015 with an ankle tweak and coming back from that I was not right, but that was down to me.

“Sadly I then got a freak knee injury at Widnes and that put me back another six months.

“But now I am the fittest I have been so I should be doing myself justice.

“That means catching that ball at the back and chewing up as many metres as I can to get that forward pack on the front foot. That is a job that needs to be done.

“But I am looking forward to getting that ball in my hands on the wing.

“I am excited to be able to do something because I have had a year on the sidelines. So to be back in the team means a hell of a lot to me.

“I am still young, with six or seven years left in me, so this is an exciting time to be in the team that Keiron has put together.”

Makinson’s versatility was demonstrated in the opening night against Leeds when he switched to full back after Jonny Lomax’s head knock.

He did not simply fill in - he excelled, getting his numbers right in defence and pulling off the match-saving tackle on Liam Sutcliffe.

Having played there as a 19-year-old in the 2011 Grand Final, full back is a job he relishes.

“Jonny is a fantastic full back, but if they ever need me to fill in there I will that.

“The back five are all like that; Morgs and Percy can both play wing, Jonny can play 6, 7, 9, 1 and Swifty can play full back, centre and wing.

“We have a lot of trust in each other, Jonny works hard with us as a back three and he gives us a bit of direction,” he said.