SOME Wire players were more comfortable than others joining the Wirettes cheerleaders on the catwalk to launch the club’s 2020 kits and training gear range.

Luther Burrell looked in his element and milked his moments in the spotlight to the max, while it was the first chance for the 300 attending fans to see new signings Keanan Brand (Widnes), Matty Ashton (Swinton) and Samy Kibula (Wigan) in Wire colours.

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Samy Kibula

We also saw plenty of Josh Charnley and Danny Walker, as they cheekily paraded in home and away shirts that had been painted on their upper bodies.

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Dec Patton, recharged and raring to go again, said he liked the new kits, but recommended fans buying items in the right size because the shorts he was modelling had been ‘rolled up four times’.

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The fashion show, while an important event for the club in encouraging merchandising sales, was fun time-out for those players who returned to training the previous week, while many of their clubmates on international duty are on staggered returns between now and late December.

After a short break on the completion of a campaign that fizzled out disappointingly after the Challenge Cup Final win, the players on show on Thursday night appear focused on their pre-season duties and making sure they are in tip-top condition for the new term at the end of January.

“The last two years I’ve missed out on pre-season through injury and only joined the team part way through the year,” said England international back-rower Ben Currie, who gave everybody in the Martin Dawes Legends Lounge at The Halliwell Jones Stadium a first look at the 2020 primrose and blue home kit.

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“So for me it’s good to be involved in pre-season from day one – and the body’s definitely feeling it!

“We’ve really set the standards early for the rest of the lads to join us.”

Matt Davis has taken a lot from his first season with The Wire as he looks forward to the 25th year of Super League.

“I’ll take a lot of positive belief from the squad that we can go to the big stage like Wembley and get the win against St Helens,” he said, with huge cheers greeting his words.

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“We struggled through the back end of the season but getting the Wembley win was massive.

“Maybe it caught up on us at the back end but that spurs you on.

“We’ll get a good pre-season under our belts and go big for next season.”

Brand, who has joined fellow centre Anthony Gelling in joining The Wire from Widnes Vikings, looked around the room after flaunting the club’s new training gear on stage and said: “This is a bit different to what I’m used to!”

But quickly changing the focus he set out his aims for the next 12 months, saying: “2020 preparation is going well. It’s been good to meet all the lads.

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“I know everybody wants that Grand Final win, but for me personally I want to play in as many games as I can.

“I’ll work hard and see where it gets me.”

Brand, 20, played a in Super League with Widnes in 2018 but has to step up again after 12 months in the Championship, in which he was nominated as Young Player of the Year and appeared at Wembley on the same day as Wolves but in the 1895 Cup Final against Sheffield Eagles.

He described Warrington’s new kit and training gear as ‘fresh’.

For Ashton, 21, brought in from Swinton with whom he was the Championship’s leading try scorer last season, this will be a first crack at the top level.

“I’ve settled in really well,” he said.

“The lads have been really welcoming.

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“The facilities are first class and something I’m not really used to so I’m enjoying life.”

Burrell was a high-profile signing for Steve Price’s side from Northampton rugby union club in July and the second half of the campaign turned out to be a settling in period for the former England centre.

“I’m as excited as you can be about pre-season because it’s pretty much as close to torture as you can get,” he said after flirtatiously undoing the zip on his training top while patrolling the catwalk.

“I’m excited to be involved from day one this season,” he said.

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“I came in halfway through last season which is difficult for a player to come in and try to get up to speed so I’ll be looking to have a good run at it over the next few weeks.

“I can’t thank the fans and sponsors enough for the welcome I got least season.

“Pricey’s not here tonight, but I’ll be trying to get in his ear about getting on the field more next season and we’ll see how we go.”