JOE Philbin says he is gaining reward for making “adjustments”.

His explosive impact off the bench, as a front-row replacement, is fast becoming a trademark of the season and paying off too judging by his two-year extended contract signed this week.

“The new deal has come on the back of making some improvements,” said the 22-year-old former Culcheth Eagles and Latchford Albion junior.

“Last season I was struggling for game time and I was sent out on loan to Bradford.

“That was probably a bit of a wake-up call that I needed to increase something.

“A few adjustments were made to my attitude and the way I was training and it has helped me massively.

“I turned up to pre-season with a work ethic. I was working harder than I have in the past and it’s helped me out massively.

“Just little things like a few adjustments to my diet, working with nutritionist James Moorhen, has helped me massively.

“And then just working harder with the conditioners, Jon Clark and Jake Batsford, to get me a lot fitter. I’m a lot fitter this year than I was last year.

“I set myself a few objectives at the start of the year and one of them was to get my deal sorted sooner rather than later so I’m glad that’s out of the way and I just want to kick on with the team in the league now and start climbing the ladder.”

His whirlwind carries of the ball as a middle-channel player have caught the eye, though he can also help out in the second-row as he did in Newcastle at the weekend.

“My game is pretty direct, which probably suits being a prop because a prop’s job is all the messy work,” he said.

“I’m happy to fill in on the edge but I probably look at myself as a prop forward now.”

By the time his new deal ends in 2019, Philbin will be 24 and already has some aims in mind.

“By then I want to pretty much be a leader of the pack. I want to keep building step by step and hopefully build something special, win some trophies in those years and in the longer term too.

“It’s about everyone as a team putting the work in.”

The bustling forward is currently playing with heavy strapping on his left leg but it has not hindered his form.

“Honestly, it’s going to sound soft, but it’s just a bruised knee,” he said.

“But I can’t kneel on it, so I’ve been wearing a knee pad. I’ve been getting plenty of stick for my knee pad so I strap it up so that nobody can see the pad.”

He confirmed the injury was not sustained when he clumsily fell off the starting block, while on video, during a swimming session on the club’s warm-weather pre-season training camp in Tenerife.

Philbin, laughing, said: “I should have sent that to You’ve Been Framed, I’d have got £250.”