Luke Patten fulfilled a six-year itch to play in Super League for Salford last weekend -- and coach Shaun McRae believes he's just the man the Reds need to reach the play-offs.

Ex-Canterbury full-back Patten has wanted of playing domestic rugby in England since losing the World Club Challenge match to Leeds Rhinos with the Bulldogs in 2005.

The 31-year-old's debut hardly went to plan -- McRae's men were hammered 42-12 by the Crusaders at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Super League runners-up St Helens will be an even tougher task for Salford this weekend, but McRae is backing Patten to steer the rookie Reds in the right direction.

"Luke has settled in incredibly well -- he really is a terrific professional," said ex-South Sydney Rabbitohs coach McRae.

"He is very experienced, has tremendous energy at practice and in games and is the type of guy that players like and really want to follow.

"We are probably stronger than we were last year, not in terms of numbers but we are a more experienced squad.

"I have tried to convert the young and inexperienced 22-year-olds into more experienced 23-year-olds and they now have the experienced 29 and 30-year-olds -- the likes of Luke Patten - that they did not have last year.

Hull new boy Sam Obst believes the Airlie Birds should be beating the likes of this weekend's opponents Leeds Rhinos if they are serious about collecting silverware in 2011.

Sydney-born Obst joined from financially-troubled Wakefield this week on a two-year contract with the aim of winning trophies at the KC Stadium.

And the 30-year-old former Sydney Rooster said: "One game doesn't make your season, you don't win Premierships in the first couple of rounds but it's a big game.

"There's better things to come and the reason I'm here is because I want to be successful this season.

"This is a really good opportunity for me and they say a change is as good as a rest, so it's a fresh challengeand something I'm really looking forward to and getting started."

New Catalans centre Darryl Millard will have the chance to get one over his old side this week -- just three days after departing Wakefield.

Ex-Canterbury and St George centre Millard, 25, exited Belle Vue on Wednesday as part of a firesale as the Wildcats continue to try to balance the books.

And Dragons coach Trent Robinson is set to throw Millard straight into the fray at the Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP