Guzdek pens new deal

29/08/2020

Popular Sheffield Eagles full-back Josh Guzdek will remain at the club for the 2021 season after signing a new one-year deal.

Guzdek helped the Eagles to the 1895 Cup in his debut year and would have been looking forward to solidifying his reputation as one of the best full-backs outside of the top flight throughout 2020.

He will get his chance to do that for another season at least when the Eagles return to action in 2021.

Discussing Guzdek staying on board for a third year, a joyful Mark Aston said: “He’s consistent and that is the biggest accolade you can get as a rugby league player,”

“He doesn’t make many mistakes and he is as safe as houses. We’re delighted to retain him again as he is a good kid with a great attitude.

“There is still work to be done and he knows that, but he’s only going to get better. I can’t speak highly enough of him.”

The Eagles no.1 is pleased he’ll be wearing the Red and Gold in 2021, saying: “I am eager to have another good year and hopefully we can compete well as a team,”

“We set some targets at the start of 2020 and personally everyone wants to win, and win as many as they can, and that was our goal.

“We want to succeed. We didn’t have a good start to 2020 but we did play a few of the better teams in the league.

“We had a new structure that Tubbs brought in so we were getting used to that.

“Obviously Jamesey (Matt James) and Glover were about to come back so we were looking forward to mid-season, getting a few wins together, but it went to pot when COVID happened.

“Everyone is getting itchy feet. We had our programs that were put together when we went into lockdown so we cracked on with them, but then the call came to get ourselves ready for November.”

Guzdek is looking forward to getting back out on the pitch and linking up with the club’s outside backs, who proved dangerous for opposition defences during the 2019 campaign.

“It’ll be great to be back out there with my mates and start training with them again,” he added.

“We’re eager to get back competing in the league and see what we can achieve this time around.”

Guzdek joins Club Captain Matt James, Ryan Millar, Connor Bower, Scott Wheeldon, Joel Farrell and Robbie Ward who all enter their second season of two-year deals.

By Dan Fowler, photo by Alex Coleman