WHITEHAVEN have boosted their ranks for the 2016 Championship season with the signing of four Widnes Vikings on dual-registration – and there’s more to come.

Although he wasn’t in a position to name the Super League players, Haven director of rugby James Robinson insisted that the news showed the club’s intentions to hit the ground running next season.

“We’ve re-signed 22 squad players from last season and the four Vikings will definitely more than strengthen our squad,” said Robinson, who retired from professional rugby league after Haven’s victory against Doncaster in their final game of the season.

“And we have offers out there for four more players – we’re just waiting for a reply. That will take our squad for next year to 30 players,” he said. “James (coach Coyle) brought in some very good players in Richie Beaumont, Chris Taylor and Sam Brooks towards the end of the season and they are signed for 2016.

“And with club stalwarts such as Scott McAvoy and Craig Calvert, we’re going to have a very strong side.”

Robinson said that he was going to concentrate on his director’s role this coming year, and added: “I’ll also try and help James and Peter (No2 Williamson) on the bench and in training if needed.

“And with Matthew Johnson as fitness coach, the lads will be fit and raring to go when the season comes along. The players have two weeks off now before they start training on their own for four weeks. Then we’ll be doing some testing and be back in the second week of November for pre-season.

“The competition in the Championship was harder this season than last and it’s going to be even harder next season,” said Robinson. “We are going to be training hard, almost full-time, to be able to compete with the full-time clubs in the division.

“I respect that the lads work an eight-to-ten hour shift but if they want to play for Whitehaven, they are going to have to train hard.”

Haven have released former North Wales utility-back Greg Wilde who has signed for Swinton Lions.