Fearn Signs Contract With Newcastle
Newcastle have handed a professional contract to 21-year-old forward, Darren Fearn, ahead of the new Premier League season.
It is no secret that coach, Alan Tait, has been looking for options to bolster the attacking part of his team ahead of the new season. Newcastle have felt the economic pinch just like any other team and the club have opted to give an unknown quantity a contract.
The youngster will be chomping at the bit to get in the side and start scoring tries as well as running around like a mad man. This is a big deal for Fearn and it will be interesting to see how he reacts in the build up to Newcastle's first game.
There are many parts to Fearn's game that will mean he should take to Premiership rugby like a duck to water. However, a few fans and pessimists have said that the club should have given a deal to a more experienced and established player.
Attributes
Fearn has a youthful energy and enthusiasm that can spread over the entire side. This will be important because he will have to use these characteristics to make up for a lack of skill and experience.
He is a very big player and this will make him important as he plays in the front row. He can cut an intimidating figure to play against and he will be used to add extra strength and power in to the packs and scrums of the team. He will continue to grow and get bigger, which is a frightening thought.
He's a very good passer of the ball and this will be very important when he tries to lay the ball off to the side. It's important he can do this high up the pitch because this can often be the difference between scoring and giving the ball away.
Tait said: "Darren has been with the first-team squad for our pre-season so far, and he has impressed us enough for him to be offered a full-time contract. He is desperate to prove himself, he's got a load of potential and this first year is really all about seeing how he fits into the professional environment."
The Worries
There are always a few regular worries that appear when a club signs someone of a young age and with virtually no experience. They can get bullied off of the ball by older and better players in other teams. This will worry Newcastle because if Fearn cannot hold his ground then there will be a hole down the middle of the pitch.
There is also a slight worry that it will take him slightly longer to make an impression. A more experienced signing would have started immediately having an impact and shaping the way that Newcastle play and this is something that Fearn will struggle to do.
However, the coach added: "Our academy manager Richard Arnold coached him last year at Northumbria University, and he rates him very highly."
Betting Advice
Avoid any bets on Fearn as an individual because he is not likely to carry Newcastle as a team next season. The better option would be to sit back for a few games and see whether he is having the impact that many say his potential will lead to.
Newcastle are not going to win the Premiership next season but they do stand a very good outside chance of some European rugby by the end of the campaign. Have a punt on them achieving this because there is a definite air of ambition and drive right now that makes this a strong possibility.
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