Salford Red Devils coach Ian Watson has turned his recruitment focus to forwards, after last week’s recruitment of Kallum Watkins, as he looks to complete Salford’s squad for 2021.
The Red Devils secured the services of Watkins earlier this month, ending their search for a centre for next season.
Now, Watson’s attention will shift to his pack, with the Red Devils’ chief hoping to add at least one new recruit before finalising his squad for the next campaign.
“We need to focus on our middles now,” Watson confirmed.
“We need to get them right and it’s really important that we do that.
“Who they will be? Hopefully some will step up from our squad and then we can add some real quality to our squad from the outside.”
And Watson is hoping that Salford’s improved performances both last season and this will lead to more financial stability at the club, leading to more flexibility with recruitment.
“That’s what we hope to do,” he said.
“We spoke about it last year when we set out our recruitment plan going forward. It took us about six or seven months to find our feet as a team.
“So hopefully the club will be in a position to bring better players for next year. The recruitment will take us up another level.”
Meanwhile Watson is confident that Ed Chamberlain will soon be in his matchday squad, after having recovered from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury he suffered in a Challenge Cup match against Rochdale Hornets on 12 April last year.
Chamberlain has gone through a long period of rehabilitation since then, but has recently been named in Salford’s 21-man squads, while not yet making the matchday 17.
“Ed Chamberlain has been on a long process with his ACL and he has looked really sharp in training. I would not be surprised to see him returning to the side in the near future,” said Watson.
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