Sam Barlow : Mon Sep 13, 2010 1:53 pm
Reported in Halifax CourierHalifax v Sheffield Eagles: Barlow to play
Date: 13 September 2010
By James Roberts
HALIFAX chairman Michael Steele appears to have raised the prospect of the club's former Sheffield Eagles forward Sam Barlow playing in Thursday night's Co-operative Championship final eliminator against the Eagles.
Barlow, who began his career with at the Shay as a 16 year old before leaving to join Huddersfield, rejoined his hometown club from Sheffield ahead of July's transfer deadline.
Under the terms of his release, Barlow was apparently precluded from plaADVERTISEMENT
ying against the Eagles in 2010 and duly sat out the league fixture - which Fax won 38-24 to complete a league double - at Bramall Lane last month.
But with a place in the Grand Final up for grabs, Fax look set to question whether that ban does include play off fixtures, a move that is likely to go down like a lead balloon in the Steel City.
Steele was playing his cards close to his chest, but admitted: "I will be consulting the Rugby Football League as to the effectiveness of the reported restriction."
Fax's move is partly born of an ever-expanding casualty list, with the club's treatment room full to capacity in the wake of last Thursday's bruising 46-16 reverse at champions elect Featherstone.
Australians Luke Branighan, Dylan Nash and Shad Royston are all nursing leg injuries, while forwards Said Tamghart and David Wrench will both need to pass the so-called 'headtest' before being cleared to play after being concussed against Rovers.