GETTING used to new head coach Steve Price’s style of play may take time, Wolves forward Ben Westwood says.

The Wire players have completed their first month of pre-season training under the Australian as they build up to their opening Super League game of 2018, against defending champions Leeds Rhinos at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on Thursday, February 1.

Price is the fifth different head coach Westwood has worked under since arriving at Warrington in 2002 and the veteran says the squad is relishing the change.

He also gave some insight as to how things may be different on the pitch to teams coached by Price’s predecessor, Tony Smith.

“He’s strict on the field. He’s a perfectionist and he’s getting what he wants from the boys,” he said.

“Off the field though, he’s a gentleman so he’s got the right mixture to become a really good coach.

“It’s been a positive start, the boys are getting behind him.

“There’s been some changes, particularly defensively, and that might take some time to get used to.

“I think Steve wants to simplify a few things, especially at the start of the year when the weather isn’t too good.

“We’ve focused a lot on completing and building ourselves into games.

“The way the lads have approached it has been great and you can see the results coming out of it.”

Westwood, who made his 400th Wolves appearance during 2017, will compete for places in a pack that already contained England internationals such as Chris Hill, Ben Currie and Mike Cooper and has been supplemented by the arrivals of Sita Akauola and Ben Murdoch-Masila.

The 36-year-old is in his 16th pre-season with the club but explained that this one feels very different for a very surprising reason.

“It’s only the fourth pre-season I’ve actually started since around 2004, so it’s a bit different! The rest of the time I was on international duty or injured,” he said.

“It’s been tough starting from week one but it’s quite enjoyable actually. I’m enjoying a bit of hard work and being put through my paces.

“I think it’s something I needed to have a good year.

“There’s a lot of competition among the forwards. We’ve signed some great players and it’s going to be tough for me but I’m up for a challenge.

“I want to play as much as I can, as you do when you get older, but I’ll do whatever is best for the team.

“I’ll stick by any decision that gets made, but I’d like to be in with a shout.”