ADAM Walker has been backed to prove his worth at Hull KR next season with his no-nonsense approach to the game.
The 21-year-old is one of eight new additions to the Robins for the 2013 campaign, as coach Craig Sandercock has turned the focus on young English talent.
Walker was monitored closely by Rovers last season, and he impressed sufficiently to convince KR to offer a three-year-deal, and pay a fee to secure his release from the Giants.
Relatively unknown to KR fans due to his limited Super League experience, Walker is well known to his former Giants team-mate Dave Hodgson.
And he expects the rising star to make a big impact in his first season in east Hull.
"I obviously know Adam as he was coming up through the ranks at Huddersfield and he is a big, strong lad," Hodgson told the Mail.
"I am sure he will be a great addition to what is looking a really good pack."
Walker was singled out by Rovers as a prospect for the future because of his aggressive approach to the game.
And Hodgson can vouch first hand that he is a player who takes no backwards steps – even against his own team-mates.
"Even at training at the Giants, Adam liked to get stuck in and mix it," he said.
"I'm sure as he settles and the season progresses he will make a big impact."
Rovers head off to their warm weather training camp in Tenerife this weekend looking to lay the foundations for a successful season.
But experienced campaigner Hodgson is not yet looking ahead to the new season, and says the coming weeks, with friendlies against the likes of Hull and Wigan to come after the camp in the New Year, will let them know where they stand.
"We have a lot of new players in the squad, and these pre-season camps are important in terms of getting to know one another better and team-building," he said.
"It will give us a chance to work on our combinations and plays, but I am not setting any targets yet.
"We need to get our work done, and then go into the friendly matches and see how we go.
"I am sure we will learn from them where we have improved from last season, and where we still need to work on before the start of Super League."
