Manfredi's New Year hope

The winger is hoping to play a part in this upcoming season, but is refusing to rush back from his serious knee injury until he feels fully-fit.

He can at least see light at the end of the tunnel after a protective brace was removed.

“I’m doing alright, considering,” said the 23-year-old, affectionately nicknamed ‘Pig’ by his team-mates.

“I’ve got the brace off, and I’m doing some rehab, I feel I’m making progress.

“Every day it’s feeling better, I’m doing more things and I’m progressing.

“It’s a long one, but at the end I should be fine.

“It’s going to be the back end of the year, they don’t want to rush anything, they need it 100 per cent right.”

Manfredi suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage during a game against Castleford in August. He had done enough up to that point – scoring 15 tries in 25 appearances – to earn a place in the Super League Dreamteam.

“I was in a brace for 15 weeks, and I never want to be in one ever again,” he said.

“It was tough, because you can’t do anything – you can’t go out, I couldn’t drive for two months, I was just sat there – the couch life is not for me!”

Manfredi is one of two senior players ruled out for the start of the year. Sam Tomkins is due back from a broken foot in April.