THE world’s greatest player Darren Lockyer and Australian Kangaroos boss Tim Sheens have revealed that they very nearly signed for Super League new comers Widnes Vikings.

Australian skipper Lockyer, 34, and Sheens, 60, were the Vikings’ number one targets once they were awarded a Super League licence back in March and they came as close as it comes to landing the duo dream team after chairman Steve O’Connor and director of rugby Paul Cullen sold them the Vikings’ ambitious plans to restore the club back to former World Championship glory.

Lockyer, who was training with his teammates at Widnes schools Saints Peter and Paul and Wade Deacon High School as part of a pre-planned Vikings led event, said: “I met with Paul and he spoke about the club’s ambitions and where it wanted to be. The Vikings are a new club to Super League and it was a massive challenge and one which I seriously considered. I spoke to the club at length and I was impressed with what they said to me and the facilities here are very good too.

“At the end of the day I had to make a decision and although the challenge really appealed to me I decided that I wanted to finish playing my club footy in the NRL with Brisbane.”