Salford coach Iestyn Harris says Reds to 'play through pain barrier'
Wednesday 29 April 2015 21:06, UK
Iestyn Harris is confident injury-hit Salford will not have to select any of their coaches for Friday’s Super League match against Hull.
The Salford coach has just 12 players in training for the trip to the KC Stadium and had been contemplating on calling up right-hand man Ian Watson and U19s coach Martin Gleeson to be part of the squad.
Injuries and suspensions have taken their toll on the Reds but Harris told a press conference that a number of his injured players are ready to play through the pain barrier if needed.
Prop Adrian Morley and hooker Wayne Godwin are the latest injury concerns with ankle and facial problems respectively.
However, Mason Caton-Brown (ankle), Theo Fages (ribs), Liam Hood (thumb), Scott Taylor (eye) and Kevin Locke (groin and knee) have not yet been ruled out despite picking up injuries against Castleford last weekend.
Harris said: "At the last count, we're not far away. There are a few people that could potentially come through for us and we'll give them until the last minute.
"Hood is there or thereabouts, Bish is the same, as are Mason and Scott Taylor. We've got five or six who are 50-50, so we'll give them until Thursday to try and prove their fitness."
Harris, who is able to welcome back prop Darrell Griffin from suspension, admits he may be forced to field players who are not 100 per cent fit.
He added: "If you had a lot of cover in relevant areas you'd probably say take another week to get right but we haven't got that luxury at this moment in time.
"Rugby league is a tough sport and you need tough people. We've got some guys putting their hand up and are ready to go again. Probably on a normal week you wouldn't risk them but there's some tough people in the group."
Harris also confirmed that he is considering bringing in more loan players, to add to last week's signing of Wigan duo Oliver Gildart and James Greenwood, and that Gleeson and Watson remain last-resort options.
He went on: "We're exploring it. If four or five of the 50-50s don't come through, then we'll need to look at that but at this stage we're probably all right."
