SALFORD forward Andrew Brocklehurst has offered his hometown club some reassurance ahead of the Reds' clash with Celtic Cruaders in Bridgend on Saturday night, pledging: "We'll be going to win."
Halifax need a Salford victory to keep their hopes of a second place finish in National League One alive going into their final day trip to Featherstone after losing out 38-28 to Celtic in last weekend's Shay showdown.
But with the league leaders' title in the bag, there had been fears that Salford would send a weakened line up to South Wales.
Now Brocklehurst, the former Fax back rower who quit the club following their relegation from Super League at the end of 2003, has moved to allay those doubts.
"We will be taking a full strength side down there, I don't think there is going to be any doubt about that," said Brocklehurst.
He pointed to the two blank weekends facing the Reds before the first v second play off encounter - likely to take place on Thursday, September 11 - as a factor which could end up working in Fax's favour.
"There is a big gap as it is between the Celtic game and the start of the play offs and if we rested anyone they would end up with three straight weekends off," he said.
"I think that could have made a difference to the way we will approach it.
"You don't want players going that long without a game at this stage of the year and you don't want to start losing at this point either.
"We will certainly be going down there to win."
Brocklehurst also doubts whether Reds boss Shaun McRae harbours any serious preference about which side he would prefer to host at the Willows in the Grand Final qualifier.
"With the side we have got, and the record we have, I don't think he's bothered, he's just focusing on what we do," said Brocklehurst.
"Halifax are a footballing side; Celtic try and bash you up a bit more.
"Personally, I'd probably rather play Celtic, but at the same time I want to see Halifax do well.
"The ideal scenario for me is a Salford versus Halifax Grand Final.
"That would be great."
Brocklehurst looks unlikely to play a front line role in doing Fax a favour though after spending the second half of the year languishing in the reserves.
"It's not worked out for me this year, which is disappointing," he said.
"I was going well early on, then got an injury and haven't been able to get back in.
"I'll be moving on at the end of the year and my agent is talking to a couple of clubs, both in National League and Super League."
The full article contains 481 words and appears in Evening Courier newspaper.
