By Martin Morgan

Last updated 11:57, Thursday, 04 December 2008

Kiwi Karl Edmondson will be targeted by Super League says Whitehaven boss Ged Stokes – if he produces a repeat of last season’s superb effort at the Recre.

Karl Edmondson

The 25-year-old was Haven’s only ever-present forward last term, his first in England, when he established a reputation as one of NL1’s leading props.

“He had a fantastic season and needs another year of what he’s been doing,” said Stokes, Edmondson’s former New Zealand A coach. “He has a great attitude, doesn’t moan and gets on with it.

“He still needs to improve, and we’ll look at that in the off-season. But his family is over here with him and everyone’s adapted well.

“If everything works out for him, and he has another season like his last, some Super League club could come knocking. He’s one who could really step up.”

Edmondson said: “Everyone wants to play at the highest level, and I’d love to play Super League. It has always been one of my dreams.

“I really enjoyed last season and I’ve been dying to get stuck in to pre-season. When Ged came along, I knew how he would want me to play.

“And the likes of Ryan McDonald as a starting prop, and Howard Hill, in the second-row, have helped my game.”

Meanwhile, chairman Gordon Grace has pledged not to walk away from Whitehaven until a new board is in place.

Grace indicated when he took charge in February that he planned to stay on for 12 months, but stressed that he would not leave the club in the lurch.

“I’m not that sort of guy,” he said. “I’ll stick with it until we get a succession. I’m still quite upbeat, but we need fresh impetus to lift the club.”

Grace and directors Mike Graham and Phil Clarkin are understood ready to move aside whenever a suitable party steps forward to take charge, and a group of former directors, including ex-chairman Des Byrne, have held talks.

No deal has been struck as yet, and Grace and his board are also willing to listen to any other party who wishes to get involved.

“Anyone interested can drop us a note at the club and we will sit down,” he continued. “We are quite prepared to open it up to a wider audience.”

Fans can meet the club’s new Aussie signing Dan Russell when he joins a star-studded line-up at WH Smith in Whitehaven on Saturday.

He will team up with Super League-bound starlet Gregg McNally and Haven’s record try-scorer David Seeds at the King Street store for a signing session of the new Rugby League Journal Annual.

All are welcome from noon to 1pm, when the trio will autograph copies of the new Annual, produced in West Cumbria.