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YOUNG second rower Stephen Bannister will be playing for Salford in Super League next season having signed a one-year contract extension
Steve signs up
Dave Lawrenson14/ 8/2008
STEPHEN Bannister is the latest Salford player to sign up for next season – and the Reds want St Helens duo Steven Tyrer and Willie Talau to join him at the Willows.
Second rower Bannister has followed fellow young gun Stephen Nash in penning a contract extension with the club.
But second rower Luke Adamson, who is the final current squad member on the club’s new contract hit-list, was still in negotiations with Salford’s director of football Steve Simms as the Advertiser went to press last night, Wednesday, August 13.
Coach Shaun McRae is confident that Adamson will agree to stay put. And he would also like to see young half back Tyrer and experienced centre Talau wearing Salford shirts next season. But Simms insists that a national newspaper story, which claimed that the Reds have signed their St Helens teammate Paul Sculthorpe, is ‘completely untrue’, stating that Salford ‘are not interested in the player’.
And McRae rubbished reports linking the Reds with West Tigers forwards Corey Payne and Bronson Harrison.
McRae said: "We are trying to sign players both overseas and in England but we are not close to getting any more new players at the moment.
"After signing half back Jeremy Smith from South Sydney Rabbitohs last week, the priority now is to bring in outside backs."
He added: "As well as Paul Sculthorpe, newspapers have been linking us with three other Saints in Francis Meli, Steven Tyrer and Willie Talau.
"There is nothing in the Meli story. I can’t see us digging a player like him out of a club that is likely to win things.
"Tyrer is contracted to St Helens so he’s simply not available. But if Saints were willing to let him go out on loan for 12 months we would be interested in taking him. He was outstanding against us playing for Widnes on loan earlier in the season but I don’t know if Saints would be willing to let us have him.
"Talau is coming to the end of his contract. He could be available for next season and he is a player that I like. He is not a young man any more but he has played really well for Saints this year. But I haven’t heard anything on that one yet and we aren’t allowed to talk to players coming to the end of their contracts until next month.
"As for Bannister signing a new deal, I’m delighted with that. He’s done very well for us this year.
"He’s a very good player with a lot more in him. He’s only 20 but he’s already proven he can make the step up to Super League having played there for Harlequins and St Helens."
Having secured Smith’s services, Salford are no longer interested in signing released Canberra half back Todd Carney.
Meanwhile, Salford take on second from bottom Batley in their final scheduled home game of the season on Sunday, August 17, kick-off 3pm. The Reds will be presented with the league leaders’ shield after the match. And, despite having nothing tangible to play for, McRae is planning to field a strong side.
He said: "I may rest a few front rowers but I will not be making any more than two changes.
"Batley still have a mathematical chance of making the play-offs and they only lost to second-placed Halifax on the final play of the game on Sunday. So they are obviously playing well and I expect them to have a real go at us. It’ll be a tougher test than our last game with Dewsbury and I don’t want our form dropping with the play-offs just around the corner."
Utility ace John Wilshere picked up a dead leg injury in the Dewsbury win but is expected to be passed fit to face Batley.
Most recent 2 of 2 user comments
14/08/2008 at 16:44
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This young man has bags of potential and in my opinion he's good enough for Super League.
Good Luck SB
14/08/2008 at 20:36