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Bev's mighty heroes

Liam Chronnell
27/ 3/2003

KIWI star Cliff Beverley has paid tribute to the Salford City Reds' muscle men.

Big-hitting forwards such as Neil Baynes, Gareth Haggerty and Paul Highton are making life easy for the rest of the team, said Beverley, who has claimed nine tries in 10 appearances for the Reds this season.

He told Advertiser Sport: "If the forwards are going forward then it makes it so much easier as a half-back. It gives you much more space to roam into and holes start to open up. Our forwards are very good at that, they do all the hard work and they deserve a lot of credit for it."

Salford go into Sunday's crunch tie with Leigh Centurions having rattled 190 points past Gateshead Thunder in their last two games. But after the 20-20 draw at the Coliseum earlier in the season, Beverley knows Paul Terzis' side will be a different prospect altogether.

He said: "It will be a tough game for sure, but we're ready for Leigh this time. I think most of the top teams in the league tend to go into games against us thinking it's their final, they're out to cause a shock. But we are on the back of two good wins in which we got a few combinations together so the mood is great at the moment."

The Arriva Trains Cup is hardly at the top of the Reds wish-list this season admitted Beverley, but that won't temper the Reds' commitment.

He said: "We go out to play our best in every game, but the main one's in October. The Grand Final."