YORK Wasps' coach Lee Crooks is still keen to speak to Heworth duo Jason Gatus and Dan Briggs about a possible move to Huntington Stadium.

Although Crooks now has an "adequate number" of players in the ranks, he remains eager to strengthen his squad and he could yet offer triallist forms to the duo.

As reported in the Evening Press, the Wasps' boss expressed an interest in signing the amateur pair earlier this month but any move was put off until after Heworth's Challenge Cup tie against Batley Bulldogs on Sunday.

But with that game - a 70-0 victory for Batley - now out of the way, the door could be open again for the duo to try their hand at the professional game.

Crooks said: "They wanted to complete their obligations to Heworth and we said would talk after that to see if they were still interested in coming down. I haven't had chance to speak to them yet but I'm hoping to do so some time this week.

"We've got 24 players now so we have to tread carefully as regards what players come to the club. I don't want to have people hanging around who aren't going to have a game. I think 24 is probably adequate.

"We need to look at the quality of what we've got.

"In that 24 there are people on trial, and if they fit in we'll keep them and if not we'll try to replace them.

"We're looking for competition for places and for people to show us they are capable of playing at a professional level."

Meanwhile, Wasps' opponents at Huntington Stadium on Sunday, Featherstone Rovers, beat Hunslet Hawks 26-14 in the Northern Ford Premiership last night. Wasps had drawn 20-20 with Hunslet on Boxing Day. Elsewhere, Dewsbury Rams won 25-6 at Sheffield Eagles, Whitehaven beat Rochdale 13-4 and Leigh hammered Workington 70-0.

Updated: 10:32 Thursday, February 01, 2001