MIDLANDS HURRICANES coach Mark Dunning might be down on players and options as he tries to cement a play-off place – but he says it would take “an absolute emergency” to make him dip into the loan market.
The RFL scrapped the old dual-registration system and allowed one-week loans ahead of this year. Many clubs have taken advantage.
But Dunning has stayed faithful to the squad honed during pre-season and supplemented as the campaign continued, with former Halifax back James Woodburn-Hall, who had been playing for French club Avignon, and centre Liam Sutcliffe, recently released by Huddersfield, among those added.
Woodburn-Hall joined an extensive injury list when he sustained a shoulder issue during the 78-16 defeat by London Broncos in Birmingham, so Sutcliffe, who was on debut, had to move to the halves.
Dunning said he had only 19 fit players to select from against the leaders, when forward Zeus Silk was forced off by a neck issue, but still doesn’t envisage looking at a loan.
“It would have to be an absolute emergency, because it’s just not something I’m a fan of,” he explained.
“I think sometimes you are providing players with game time on someone else’s behalf, and I am comfortable with and confident in the squad we have put together.
“We have built it the way we have for a reason. I want to use it, and if I didn’t and brought in people on loan, I think my players could quite reasonably question me on why we put the squad together the way we did.”
Midlands invited junior players from community clubs Leamington Royals, Shrewsbury Lions and Swadlincote to the London match, giving them the chance to play in an exhibition game at half-time.