Hooker Brad Dwyer, prop Joe Bullock and winger Matty Russell will all spend at least the next two weeks elsewhere having agreed short-term loan deals with fellow Super League sides – Dwyer has joined Leigh Leopards while Bullock and Russell will both join Hull FC.

After the minimum 14-day period, all three deals will be reviewed on a week-by-week basis with a view to them spending a longer spell away from The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

However, Burgess insists all three players have roles to play for him at some point during the season – but that time is not now.

As such, he insisted it was important for them to be playing regularly at “the best possible level” with dual-registration partners Widnes Vikings not in action this weekend and the reserves competition not starting until March 16.

“It’s important for all our players to have game time at the best possible level,” he said.

“There’s no reserves game this weekend and Widnes don’t have a game, and some of those guys want to play Super League.

“For the benefit of us going forward, them getting match fitness is good.

“There’s no spot for them in our team at the moment but they know what is required, so I thought it was a good opportunity for them to go out for a couple of weeks.

“They get some consistent rugby at the top level and should I need them, they will be ready to go rather than taking a week or two to get back into the swing of things.

“We’re going to need our full squad for the year.

“I’m getting my head around the law when it comes to things like this – in Australia, we have a reserve comp that’s very competent so everyone stays together and plays under your banner.

“In an ideal world, that’s what I’d love to do but that’s just not the case.

“I want my players out there playing and two of those players (Bullock and Russell) are off-contract, so it’s good for them to be out and letting people see what they can bring.

“I’ll need them at some point but right now, it’s good for them to get that exposure.”