Sheffield Eagles only have eyes for higher up the table

Aston, son of director Mark, returned to the flock on a temporary basis in the close season following his switch from Leeds to Daryl Powell’s Tigers. The Academy graduate re-joined his dad for some game time, but his presence, alongside fellow loanee Garry Lo, have failed to halt an early season slump -Eagles are rooted at the foot of the standings.

Aston, whose loan is now ongoing until his parent club seek a recall, says that despite the tough start, no-one is yet thinking of a long relegation scrap. “Relegation) is not in our minds at all,” Aston said.

“Yes, we have had a tough start to the season, and the position isn’t good, but that is not in our thinking because it is still very early days. It is not in our minds to just simply try and stay up. We want to be competing further up the table, and now we have some foundations to build on. We are back in Sheffield and we can look forward to some home fixtures, and if we can get some continuity that will help us to push forward again.”

Aston, who has played in every game this season, bagged his first try of this spell in the recent defeat to Toulouse.

With the Eagles taking a break from what has been a difficult start to the league campaign, Aston junior believes that Sunday’s Challenge Cup tie against Barrow Raiders might just be what the club needs after a punishing league schedule.

“It has not been easy,” added the 23-year-old.

“Since the first game really we have had such a tough run of fixtures, so to have a break now from the league and play in the Challenge Cup isn’t a bad thing.

“Again it is another tough game, and a long travel up to Barrow, and that is back-to-back weekends up there which won’t be easy. They have put up some strong performances on home soil, so it won’t be an easy place to go, but the Cup might just be what we need at the moment.”