WHITEHAVEN coach Anthony Murray has praised the players who have stepped up to perform after the injuries the side have sustained during the season.
The likes of skipper Jordan Burns, Jake Pearce and Jordan Thomson have been sidelined and rather than turn to the loan market, Murray has mainly used the other players in his squad, many of whom were recruited from the community game in the close-season.
He said: “It’s massively pleasing. That’s what having a squad is about. I’m not a coach who brings in loads of loan players when I’ve got injuries. I like to use my squad and players need to have confidence in what we’re doing as coaching staff and we need to have confidence in the players and what they’re doing.
“It’s important that those players played and that’s why they’re at the club, to play, that’s why they’ve been signed, so it’s been pleasing to see those lads stepping up, holding their own and giving a good account of themselves.
“We’ve got some bodies coming back now and so I’ve got some selection headaches, because the people who have come in have been playing well, so I’m pleased where we’re at with the squad.
“Selection headaches create competition for places, it creates higher intensity in training because everybody wants to be in the team, everybody wants to train well to get in the team, and so it’s a good headache to have.”
Despite not turning to dual registration from above, the system has worked well for Whitehaven in reverse, with players getting games for local community sides.
Murray added: “That’s where dual-reg comes in really well. You can’t get anything better than that with no second team.
“It’s an opportunity for lads to go back and get gametime and play well. That’s the culture we’ve got here. We want players who want to fight to get into the team.
“If you come to this club, you are going to get the opportunity to play and that’s what them lads have done. They have come with the right attitude, trained hard, listened and done what’s expected of them.
“The lads not selected turn up to every single home game to get behind their teammates because they want their opportunity when it comes. We’re a squad here, it’s not just about the 17.”
