PAUL ROWLEY is backing 21-year-old Nathan Connell to show up if he is given a shot for Salford Red Devils away at Leeds Rhinos on Friday night.
The Red Devils only had a 24-man squad prior to this morning, but that was made into 25 with Rowley giving Connell, who is currently with the club’s foundation, a first-team shirt.
Connell will wear the number 25 for the 2024 Super League season with the former Shevington Sharks amateur shocked at the inclusion in the Red Devils’ 21-man squad for Friday’s clash at Headingley.
“Nathan Connell has come through our development academy, he’s just working in the foundation at the minute,” Rowley said.
“He’s never been a full-time player and he’s never come through a scholarship, he’s trained with us twice and there is something in him.
“He is an outside back and has earned a spot to, first and foremost, train with us and see how that works but this week in particular we had a few concerns with players and needed to put some cover in the outside backs.
“I only told him this morning that he was going into the squad. We had to register him and give him a number this morning so it’s been a rush job.
“It’s been nice really, it was a shock for him. It’s not your stereotypical route to the first-team squad or pathway. I think he is one of those young men who has developed late and we see something in him.
“We are prepared to back him and if he needs to play this week we will put him in.”
That 25-man squad will become 26 with Salford boss Rowley confirming the capture of former Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma.
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