Experience is the next thing on Salford RLFC’s shopping list as they look to supplement their young squad with some older heads.
Salford are now just four days away from their opening game of the Championship season and as it stands, they have just 15 players. New signings are essential then if they are to fulfil Friday night’s opener at the Salford Community Stadium and name a full squad.
Of those signed by the new Salford club, a majority of them had been a part of Salford Red Devils’ reserves and academy outfit prior to the club’s liquidation. They’ve also landed Owen Haldenby from the Hull FC youth set up and Ollie Garmston, who has been coming through the ranks at St Helens.
However, Salford know they have to add some experienced faces who can provide the leadership and nous the club will be looking for as they begin their first chapter as a new entity.
To add to that wish list, Salford are especially looking for a couple of outside backs and a half-back in order to ensure they have balance within the group against the Roughyeds. And, that’s where the club can be expected to lean on CEO Ryan Brierley’s contacts in the coming days with a series of Super League clubs offering up loan options.
Salford RLFC recruitment target
“We’re looking at experience now,” head coach Mike Grady told Serious About Rugby League. “We’ve got a lot of the lads from reserve and academy and reserve lads from Hull and St Helens and we have Joe Hartley who has played in the Championship with Oldham and Rochdale.
“We do need some experience now and possibly a few loans if we can so we’re working hard over these next two days and we have to hand a squad in on Wednesday.
“Super League clubs have offered us players but it’s just getting the right players in in the right position. They’ve been offered to us so we’ll sit down with Ryan and see what’s available.
“It’s position specific at the moment, we’re quite heavy in the forwards so we’re really looking for a couple of backs, outside backs and a half-back as well.”
On the recruitment battle, the head coach added: “It’s hard because the majority of players are signed up at the moment and we have a strict budget that we have to work to so it’s tough finding them.
“Ryan’s been really good because he’s just come out the game so he has a lot of contacts as well. It’s been tough and it is still is tough because we don’t have a full 17 yet.”
The nature of the fast turnaround between being readmitted into the league and hosting the first game of the new season just a few weeks later means Grady has had barely any time on the training ground with his new players.
“We’ve had two sessions so basically a couple of hours,” he added when asked how many times his side had trained. “I had them in Wednesday morning and Saturday morning.
“We’re back in Monday night as we speak and then captain’s run on Wednesday before we play Friday. So we’re looking at around four hours, four sessions before we go into the Oldham game.”
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