Challenge Cup: Gareth Hock to feature for Leigh against Salford

Gareth Hock will be in the Leigh Centurions squad for Challenge Cup clash game against Salford this weekend - despite the protestations of the Red Devils.

Centurions have been in dispute with Salford over whether Hock can feature against his former club, but director of rugby Derek Beaumont is confident a bottle of wine can help placate Salford owner Marwan Koukash.

Koukash has threatened legal action if Hock is involved on Saturday, believing a clause in Hock’s severance agreement makes him ineligible for Saturday’s game; Hock joined the Championship leaders in February after leaving Salford having received a six-game ban for twice recklessly using his knees.

Beaumont said: “The agreement is there I can see that, but it doesn’t really define anything as broadly as it should do. And, if you actually apply it literally, the word clubs defined at the head of the agreement are Salford City Reds 2013 Limited."

So the devil is in the detail, with Beaumont believing that is the only complaint Koukash can have.

He added: “What you’ve also got to consider is that there’s something from Gaz there because he’s on a decent contract that he had for the rest of this year plus two more years. And Marwan’s had a player that was suspended and difficult to handle who obviously wasn’t being handled for whatever reason.

"That’s not a criticism of Salford, but for some reason his frustrations weren’t being contained and he wasn’t happy. So when you’ve got a player in that situation it’s kind of good to be able to get rid of them easily and the agreement gets rid of him easily.”

The whole situation, of course, raises the broader issue as to whether clubs are legally entitled to try and dictate when a player, who they have let go, can and can’t play.

“Personally I think you need a very strong organisation,” Beaumont said. “The governing body should put a situation like this to bed and the RFL could have been stronger and removed any doubt. If you look at FIFA’s opinion on it they’re against covenants that restrict people’s trade. I think now the RFL will move on it and they need to.”

Least affected by the whole situation it seems is Centurions head coach Paul Rowley. When asked if he’d had any concerns that Hock wouldn’t be available for selection, he said: “I’ve got other players who’ll fill his boots.”

I’m quite confident me and (Koukash) can have a chat before the game or after and sort it out like big boys.

A 20-game winning streak is testimony to that. Rowley also believes they’ve created the perfect environment to bring the best out of Hock.

He said: “We’ve got a wonderful team spirit. I can see visibly that Salford have tried to manufacture theirs. It’s a lot easier when it’s there naturally rather than it is to manufacture so maybe we’ve got a little bit of an advantage there. We said we’d judge Gareth on what he does for us.

"He’s got a lot of hard work to do before he reaches his potential with us that’s for sure. He’s still learning what we’re about and what his role requires. We are working hard and being honest with him and we expect the same back.

“It’s not so structured and regimented as some Super League clubs. They like how relaxed it is and if Gareth has issues, you know when he first came here he had problems with his daughter being ill and moving house, so we just afford our players time.”

And time, he hopes will prove, there’s no lasting damage to the relationship between Leigh and Salford.

He said: “I’ll put a nice bottle of wine in Marwan’s box for him. I’m quite confident me and him can have a chat before the game or after and sort it out like big boys. Put it this way: if we win the game I’ve got a problem with Marwan possibly……If we lose I may have less of a problem.”