Aussie duo join Harlequins in Super League - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Aussie duo join Harlequins in Super League

18/08/2011 11:02:27 PM Comments (0)

Experienced duo Shane Rodney and Antonio Kaufusi have joined the growing Australian contingent at Harlequins after agreeing three-year contracts at the Super League club.

Manly second rower Rodney, 28, and Newcastle Knights prop Kaufusi, 26, will turn out alongside Craig Gower, Mark Bryant and Michael Witt in a new-look Harlequins side.

"Shane is an experienced player with a lot of games under his belt, including a Grand Final win," Harlequins coach Rob Powell said.

"He is also a decent defender and will provide good strike on an edge.

"Antonio has been playing some of the best football of his career this season for Newcastle, the sort of form that saw him play for Australia a few years ago.

"He is a big explosive prop and will add a lot to our pack."

Rodney has played 125 times in the NRL for Penrith and Manly while Kaufusi has also played Tests for Tonga and Australia.

Meanwhile new Salford head coach Matt Parish claims he was misled by the club over the Reds' playing personnel and has warned they will need to invest heavily in new talent if they are to make an impact in Super League in 2012.

The 42-year-old Australian, who was appointed in June as the successor to Shaun McRae, has been in charge of the Reds for a month and will be looking for his first win when Huddersfield visit the Willows on Friday night.

Parish, who is contracted to the end of 2013, dropped a thinly-veiled hint that the job of reviving the fortunes of the Reds is bigger than he thought because of the way the club has been run in the past.

The new man arrived in time to watch Salford go down 52-16 at Hull last month and, after encouraging performances against Hull KR and Leeds, got an idea of the size of his task in last Sunday's 52-18 hammering at Wigan.

"It's obviously been tough with the teams we've played and the personnel we've got available," Parish told Press Association Sport.

"Our playing roster is nowhere near the size it should be or as strong asit should be but the guys, except for last week, have done a really good job for most of the year.

"I always knew we had a tough run home. I was led to believe there would be a few more players available than there are.

"Because of our position and because of the lack of development in the club and the recruitment process they've had in the past, the club lacks depth."

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