IT’S a long time since Joe Westerman donned the six jersey, but some of the traits Wolves’ recent arrival learned from his school days at stand-off make the forward a perfect fit for Tony Smith’s new-look Wire side.

Growing up a stone’s throw from Castleford Tigers’ ground, a six-year-old Westerman began his junior rugby with the town’s Panthers club, before moving on to a successful Lock Lane side and finally Featherstone.

Half a dozen of Westerman’s Rovers teammates signed professional contracts, with the one-time England international penning first-grade terms with Cas at The Jungle.

But it was at school, alongside best mate and would-be Hull teammate Liam Watts, that Westerman enjoyed national success – reaching three finals and collecting one winner’s medal.

“Pretty much all I remember growing up is rugby, I didn’t do much else,” explained the 26-year-old, a forward Wolves’ head of coaching and rugby Smith admires for his footballing abilities.

“I played six, stand-off, pretty much until I was 17. I was loose forward towards the back end and then Terry Matterson (then-Castleford head coach) put me in the back row.

“There’s not much difference between that and where I was playing. I just had to adapt and learn on the way really. Luckily I had a good few years and pushed on from there.

“I used to always be able to kick goals as a kid, but I think there are more important things in my game I need to concentrate on – I’ll leave that to the people that can kick!

“I’d like to think of myself as a loose forward type of player now.”

Westerman’s journey to Warrington took him from Castleford via Hull FC, and the £150,000 signing admits there have been lessons learned off the field too.

“I remember when I signed the contract with Cas, it was brilliant,” he added.

“It was a stone’s throw away from where I lived – which made it a lot easier.

“It was a thing that I always wanted to do, play for Cas.

“Stuff happened there when I was young and if I could go back in time and change then I would – a few disciplinary things that I’m not proud of.

“I enjoyed every experience there. It’s a hometown club, I still go and watch sometimes, so it was a proud moment signing for them.

“Hull were again a club that I liked and watched growing up, so that was another one that when they came in and offered the contract it was a big thing.

“It was a good change and what I needed at the time from being at Cas.”

Arriving at Wolves, he has new ambitions and is confident that silverware will be in the offing come the business end of the season.

“Every time you move to a new club you’ve got to set goals,” said Westerman, who stays with Daryl Clark several nights a week while continuing to look for his own place in the area.

“With me, it’s moving to a club who are a real big club and there are things in my game that I think can improve this team.

“My goals are to do it well and to hopefully move on this year and get some silverware.

“I think it’ll be a good year, I really do. Hopefully it’ll be injury-free and we get the players on the pitch and do the business.”

Westerman knows hooker Clark well from his time at Castleford, while Tom Lineham, Super League’s second-top try-scorer last year, was another to sign from the KC Stadium.

“You look at him and he’s a big guy, he’s bigger than most forwards,” Westerman said about the 23-year-old winger.

“He’s definitely a try-scoring machine and there are other parts of his game that Tony Smith will help him with – I think it’ll be a good year for him as well.

“Daryl’s a player that can make something out of nothing and got the Man of Steel Award the year before. I don’t know whether injury may have taken its toll last year.

“I know he’s fighting fit this season, he’s looking well and he’s training hard, so I think you’ll probably expect a better and fitter Daryl Clark this year.”

As for Westerman, he is happy to be off the treatment table after a 2015 and early part of pre-season hit by niggling injury.

He's fighting fit for the opening rounds of Super League and got a starting place at loose forward in last week's win at Leeds.

“It’s hard when you sign for a new club and you’re injured,” he explained. “You just want to get in around all the boys.

“You want to be out training but instead you’re sat in a rehab room, which isn’t the best.

“But this pre-season has been really good for me to get my body back where it needs to be – now it’s time to get it right.”