Vikings v Wildcats: Teams

Shaun Briscoe: Missing from the Widnes squad for their return to Super League

Widnes make their top-flight return on Friday night when they welcome Wakefield to the Stobart Stadium, live on Sky Sports.

The Vikings are back in Super League for the first time since 2005 after being awarded a three-year licence, since when they have been busy building a new-look squad.

The club have made no fewer than 16 signings, though their two most recent recruits - Cameron Phelps and Sione Kite - are still yet to arrive in England.

They are also without experienced full-back Shaun Briscoe and young Australian half-back Anthony Watts due to injury, though 11 players are set to make their debuts against the Wildcats.

However Betts, who returned to rugby league in 2010 from a stint coaching at Gloucester, has warned fans it will take time for his side to find their feet.

Expectations

"It's great for the town and great for the club," he said. "Everybody's expectations are so great," he said.

"We've got a great tradition but the time away has been quite substantial and we've got to realise this is about building a strong foundation. We don't want to be a flash in the pan.

"We can't hang our hat on this one game. There has been too much work gone on behind the scenes to say that this is the be-all and end-all.

"This is just the start. A lot of these lads have only played 40 or 50 minutes together.

"It will take six to 12 months to know exactly where we stand. By then we'll have something to look back on and something to move forward with. We're starting from the ground up."

Wakefield, amazingly, have actually signed more than their opponents, with 13 of their 18 fresh faces included in the squad for their opening fixture of the 2012 campaign.

Former St Helens forward Paul Johnson is the only member of last year's team to make the 19-man party selected by new coach Richard Agar, who played stand-off for Widnes in the side that gained promotion back in 2002.

Passion

"I know the passion and fervour around the club and I think they'll prove to be a worthwhile addition to the competition," said the former Hull boss.

"I speak to Denis fairly regularly - we're on the same university course - and we've had chats about the difficulties we face.

"But, watching them in the trials, it looks to me like he's got them well organised. They look fit and strong and they possess some very good players."

Agar has chosen Australian second-rower Steve Southern as his captain, while Oliver Wilkes, Peter Fox and Danny Kirmond all begin second spells at the Wildcats.

Widnes squad: Ah Van, Allen, Cahill, Clarke, Coyle, Craven, Cross, Dean, Haggerty, Hanbury, Isa, Kavanagh, Leuluai, Marsh, Moore, Mullally, Pickersgill, White, Winterstein.

Wakefield squad: Mathers, Fox, Collis, Mellars, Cockayne, John, Wood, Wilkes, Ellis, Raleigh, Lauitiiti, Southern, Washbrook, Aiton , Amor, Johnson, Kirmond, Smith, Trout.