NOTABLE improvements in the second part of Swindon Wildcats’ 2018-19 campaign from Tyler Plews and Chris Jones convinced Aaron Nell to tie the pair down to another season at the Link Centre.

Welshman Jones was confirmed as the Cats’ fourth off-season signing early last week before the club announced on Thursday that popular Scot Plews had also agreed to remain a part of the locker room.

Nell admits both players failed to live up to expectation levels early in the season.

But their form after Christmas mirrored that of the team itself, and Nell was pleased to add the pair to his roster for next season.

Plews in particular impressed the Cats player-coach, especially after the 21-year-old took a couple of months to settle in following his move from Edinburgh.

Nell said: “Tyler really improved over the season. He struggled at the start but he got his head down and worked hard.

“By the end of the year, he was very reliable for us. And next year, his role is going to be even bigger.

“Tyler is a good young man, the club has a lot of time for him and the type of person we want to stay around in Swindon.

“It was a poor Edinburgh team that he joined us from – they weren’t an Elite League team. Joining Swindon was a big adjustment, he went from losing a lot to being part of a winning team.

“It took him two or three months to adjust, but he played great in the last several months of the season.”

Jones’ extension was also as a result of improvements throughout the season.

The 28-year-old netted 28 times for the Cats during the season, and Nell was impressed most by his levels of responsibility.

He added: “Most of the team didn’t start well this season, and Chris struggled before Christmas.

“Put he got his head down and worked after we talked a lot.

“Chris was one of the best players in the league in the second half of the season.

“This year, his challenge is to start the season as he finished the one that has ended.

“He’s very responsible and makes everyone around him better.”