HULL KR: Galea happy with Clinton move

HULL KR's Ben Galea believes the capture of Joel Clinton would be the final piece in Rovers' jigsaw for the forthcoming season.

Rovers are favourites to land the highly-sought after prop after he agreed a release from his contract at Brisbane Broncos, where he was their highest paid forward on £152,000 a year.

Clinton, who had another year to run on his deal, is expected to join Rovers as soon as he secures his visa.

Galea is looking forward to playing alongside the former Australian international and feels he would fill the gap left by Nick Fozzard, who returned to St Helens.

"Joel would be a great signing because of the big-game experience he would bring to our squad," Galea told the Mail.

"He has played in the front row for Australia and won a Grand Final with Penrith Panthers in 2003.

"We need players with that sort of experience and he would be the final piece of the jigsaw for us.

"With Nick Fozzard moving on at the end of last season, we have a hole to fill and Joel would be the ideal replacement.

"We have a lot of young forwards in our squad next season and Joel would help them out a lot.

"At 27, he still has a lot of good years ahead of him and if he rediscovers the form of five years ago, then he would be a great acquisition."

Galea started his pre-season yesterday and is happy with what he has seen from the new recruits so far.

The arrival of Bradford's Matt Cook, Leeds Rhinos' Michael Ratu and Hull's Josh Hodgson has brought the average age of the squad down following the release of thirty-somethings Nick Fozzard, Daniel Fitzhenry, Stanley Gene and Makali Aizue.

Galea believes the current squad is good enough to repeat their top four finish of last season, and go one better in the play-offs.

Defeats to Leeds and Wigan brought a great season to a disappointing end and left the squad looking to do better next year.

"We choked in the play-offs last season because we were inexperienced," said Galea.

"We didn't handle the situations well, but we have learned from that and we will be better placed to do well this time.

"We can finish in the top four again because the younger players have more games under their belts.

"I met Matt Cook for the first time yesterday and he is a really dedicated player."