Junior Sa’u has given his seal of approval to Salford’s latest signings.
The Red Devils received a boost for the Qualifiers with the addition of Manly forwards Luke Burgess and Feleti Mateo, and Sa’u believes the NRL pair will help create more competition for places in Salford’s squad.
“I’ve played against Feleti and Luke,” the 29-year old told League Express.
“They’re good signings for us and they’ll give our forward pack a bit. Feleti has great skills; he’s a forward but he can play anywhere.
“I’m looking forward to them getting here next week and to those combos. In saying that it puts a lot of pressure on the starting 17 and that’s what we want, everyone competing for their spots. Even my job’s not secure. That’s good for everyone and it brings the best out of the whole squad.”
Burgess, who won the inaugural Albert Goldthorpe Rookie of the Year Medal in 2008, returns to Super League after five and a half years in Australia with South Sydney and the Sea Eagles.
Mateo is an experienced backrower who has spent most of his career with Parramatta and New Zealand Warriors. He had a brief spell with London in 2005, and has played more than 200 games in the NRL and has represented Tonga 13 times.
Salford coach Ian Watson said it was a scramble to get the signings completed before the end of Friday’s transfer deadline.
“It’s been a mad couple of days,” Watson explained.
“I can only think how much Tim’s [Sheens] phone bill is going to be because I’ve been on the phone a fair bit, but Tim’s been immense on this. He was just on the phone to get these deals sorted out. He’s done a tremendous job in getting us two high-quality players.”
This article originally appeared in League Express. To get the best news, interviews and reaction first, buy your copy every week in stores or online at totalrl.com.le
