New boss Rick Stone could hand a Huddersfield Giants full-back re-call to fit-again Scott Grix.
The experienced 32-year-old Ireland international, who is widely-rumoured to be leaving Huddersfield at the end of the current campaign, hasn’t played since suffering a knee injury in the home Challenge Cup defeat to Wakefield on June 23.
Stone has confirmed Grix was close to featuring in the narrow Super League defeat at Warrington Wolves just under a fortnight ago.
But with the likes of Ryan Brierley, Jake Connor and Aaron Murphy having all performed well in the No1 shirt since Grix has been sidelined, Stone isn’t expected to be rushing into making a final decision for Sunday’s Middle 8s trip to Salford Red Devils.
“At a push, Scott could have figured at Warrington the other week,” confirmed Stone, who was the coach of the Fiji side that faced Grix’s Ireland in the 2013 World Cup pool game at Rochdale.
“But he’s been in full training since then and is ready to be included for selection.
“He’s another player who gives us a lot of very positive options.”
But while Stone is still weighing up his choices, Salford chief Ian Watson already seems certain to hand a debut to new signing Luke Burgess.
The prop forward arrived in England last week following his move from Australian NRL side Manly Sea Eagles and he’s hoping to get the nod to face the Giants in the opening game of what he expects to be a challenging Middle 8s series.
“It looks like its going to be a close competition so I can’t wait to start playing, it’s really good to be back home,” said the brother of England star Sam.
“There’s some really big games there, like Leeds and Huddersfield, but also the teams below will be looking for promotion, so they’ll be coming out firing.
“It’s going to be a good challenge and one that should bring the best out of us.”
