PAUL ROWLEY has confirmed he now has a Salford Red Devils team in place for Friday’s trip to Leigh Leopards.
Salford’s previous fixture, last Sunday against Wakefield Trinity, was cancelled with the club citing player welfare concerns.
They were unable to raise a competitive side having lost the majority of their first-team squad since the beginning of the season amid serious financial difficulties.
In their last match, at Hull FC two weeks ago, their squad included ten loanees as they fell to an 80-6 defeat.
Salford have again had to dip significantly into the loan market, recruiting four fresh players on one-week loan deals.
Hull KR pair Leon Ruan and Louix Gorman have arrived, alongside Wakefield Trinity’s Neil Tchamamabe and Jack Darbyshire, who will play against his parent club Leigh.
The club have also been boosted by some returning experience, with head coach Rowley confirming that Dan Russell and Joe Mellor will both feature following injury.
“It’s been another challenging week. We have 18 or 19 players,” said Rowley.
“There’s a bit of a mismatch. There’s several wingers and not enough in another position, but the important bit is fulfilling the fixture and doing the right thing.
“Going to Leigh, I want to make sure we get there and put a team out. It was an horrible week last week. We’ve just got to get there by whatever means.
“There’s a few bodies going back in and a few putting their hand up who are busted. We are patching the boys up. We’ll have a team.”
The list of Salford departures since the start of the season reached 16 when Joe Shorrocks signed on loan with Leeds Rhinos for the remainder of the year.
Rowley said: “I’m pleased for Joe to be settled. I miss Joe, like all the other boys who are not here.
“He’s a big loss on and off the field. He’s a real character.
“It seems like a lifetime ago we lined up with Tim Lafai and people like that at the beginning of the season.”
The coach expressed his gratitude to fellow Super League clubs for continuing to offer players to his side, while admitting he has no say in the players he receives.
“Clubs are being as accommodating as they can, but they’re not going to hurt themselves in doing so,” he added.