RHYS Lovegrove has no interest in calling all the shots as head coach of Keighley Cougars, admitting he is grateful for his core of senior players offering their own input.

The Australian is only 33, so is in the unusual position of having several players older and more experienced in rugby league than him, such as Jake Webster, Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e and Scott Murrell.

And Lovegrove thinks it would be mad not to use their expertise.

He said: "The senior lads won't be here in five or six years, so realistically there's a big focus on those younger players who can go on to have great careers, like Alix Stephenson, Jack Arnold and Billy Gaylor.

"The senior group can really help out with these blokes. Obviously they've come here to play their own roles, but they're here for our future to bring on these youngsters too.

"The young players we've brought in have settled really well and are good enough to push for key positions in the team.

"But we'll have myself and the senior guys telling younger players to do certain things, and what I care about is that they take that in their stride.

"In Jake Webster, you've got one of the best defensive centres in the country, so he can help Charlie Graham and Taylor Prell progress.

"Scott Murrell brings so much to us off the field, and he's been doing a good job for years on the field, so he can work with Billy.

"We're looking at Q (Laulu-Togaga'e) to help out Alix as well."

Speaking about getting recruitment right, Lovegrove said: "We're stoked with the squad we've put together.

"It wasn't an easy market in some ways, as reserve grade got pulled, but there were a lot of players who didn't get chances in 2020 to solidify their spots in squads.

"That meant the player market was flooded with people who had been released, that might not have been available in normal circumstances.

"But we always had a clear vision at Keighley, and knew it was important to get the right people in.

"We wanted open-minded players, as we welcome a diverse approach and ideas.

"It's so good to have kept on a lot of those that I've worked with for the last two years, and now be joined by a core group of senior players like Jake, Q, Scott and Brenden Santi."