Fire and ice pre-season has Farnworth ready to shine

Broncos flyer Herbie Farnworth has detailed the 50-degrees change in temperature that has him on course to unleash his best at the NRL Nines.

The 20-year-old trained on a village green in Lancashire in sub-zero conditions with his uncle and former Wigan recruitment legend Brian Foley during his Christmas break, the same field where he fine-tuned his skills as a youngster before pursuing a professional league career in Australia.

The temperature got down to -10 degrees Celsius in the Old Dart before Farnworth returned to a punishing Broncos pre-season where the mercury hit 40.

"I went back for 10 days and it was good to see all the family but it was freezing back home," Farnworth told NRL.com before leaving for Perth.

"Training over there you are on wet, muddy and icy fields. I was wearing trackies and Under Armour's and then I came back here for training and it was 38 degrees, and one day it was 42 degrees. It was mad.

"This has easily been the toughest pre-season I've done."

Farnworth said he was "really proud" of beating his previous best time by 10 seconds in the club's 1.2-kilometre shuttle run.

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold wants 2019 debutants Farnworth, Izaia Perese and Xavier Coates to push for regular spots in the outside backs in 2020 after all impressed in limited appearances last year.

Coates will miss the NRL Nines with a minor leg injury while Farnworth has a chance to make a case to partner Corey Oates as Brisbane's wingers against the Cowboys in round one.

"I am not thinking too far ahead, just looking forward to the Nines and showing what I am capable of, but I definitely want to push for that wing spot in the season coming up," Farnworth said.

"We have got a really quick and fit team for the Nines which suits me because I have a bit more space to run and can put a bit of footwork on."

Farnworth, who was a talented soccer player as a youth and was part of the Manchester United development system, has not played Nines football before.

"When I was growing up I used to play tag and touch so it would be pretty similar to that I think," he said.

"I can remember watching the Auckland Nines back at home in England the year Shaun Johnson was carving up. It is pretty cool now that I get to play in it."