JOSH Thewlis wants to take another step in his developing rugby league career this season.

And he believes playing in the rejuvenated reserves competition for Warrington Wolves will help him to do so.

The 17-year-old England Youth international made his first-team debut in 2019 and welcomes more opportunities when head coach Steve Price believes the time is right.

“For me, it’s just the same as last year. I’ll just get my head down and work as hard as I can,” said the full-back who hails from junior club Waterhead Warriors in Oldham.

“I’m a team player, so whatever team I’m put into I’ll do my best.

“By this time next year I’d like to be able to look back on a couple more first-team games if I can and get a step further than what I did last year.

“I’d like to just build a bit of form, especially with the reserves playing against bigger and more experienced people every week because that’ll be a real test.

“I’m still 17, so I would never have expected to have played Super League yet.

“I can still play for the Academy, so whoever I’m playing for and against I will try my hardest.”

He has added four kilogrammes of bulk in pre-season in preparation for the year ahead, while also focusing on at least maintaining his speed.

He is excited for the years ahead after making his Super League debut at full-back against Catalans Dragons before another appearance on the wing against St Helens.

“I’m really hungry for it now,” said the Saddleworth lad, whose granddad on his mother’s side, Paul Chadderton, played for Salford.

“After that first game, I went home and watched it back on tele and I was like ‘Is this even real?’

“It’s a dream to play Super League, seeing some of the players that I’m training with every day, an unreal experience but it’s just made me more hungry.

“I want that every week. I want to play in front of 10,000 people every week at the HJ.”

That appearance against Saints was his first on the wing and he is open to providing the squad some utility value.

“I don’t want to be stuck to one position, I want to be a bit of a utility,” said Thewlis.

“I love to play full-back, that’s my main position and that’s where I want to play, but if I’m needed to play centre or winger then that’s where I’ll play. I’ll do what the team needs first.

“It was a different experience, my first ever game on the wing. There was a lot of video going into it, but everything just came naturally.

“I just want to keep my head down. I know what I’ve got to improve in. I’ve sat down with Briersy (Lee Briers) and Hendo (Andrew Henderson, assistant coaches), I know the areas that I need to nail to get another chance and I will be doing the best I can at training to nail them.”

Thewlis’ brother Jake, 14, is signed to the scholarship for 2020.