WARRINGTON Wolves' 2002 squad has been beefed up with the signing of two prop forwards this week.

Experienced former Great Britain front rower Dale Laughton has put pen to paper on a two-year deal.

And so too has Nick Fozzard, a prop with England experience who performance director Steve Anderson has plucked out of the wilderness.

Laughton, aged 31 next month, is to become the new cornerstone of Wolves' pack, following the loss of this year's front row regular Danny Nutley to Cronulla Sharks. He has had two seasons with Huddersfield, following their 2000 merger with Sheffield Eagles. Laughton had spent nine seasons with Sheffield previously.

Fozzard, aged 24, was a teammate of Laughton's at Huddersfield in 2000 but broke his arm in the opening game of that season. Because of his injury former Leeds and Great Britain Academy tourist Fozzard was released by the Giants at the end of the season and has not played at all in 2001.

They join two other former Huddersfield players contracted with Wolves for next season - Matt Sturm and Craig Weston.

The capture of Laughton and Fozzard leaves Anderson with three prop specialists for next season, with the other being Paul Wood, who has had shoulder surgery this week. Sturm and Jerome Guisset could also be used in the front row.

Anderson said: "Dale and Nick are both internationals, one young and one experienced and they are going to be the backbone up front for us."

Laughton is the kind of player whose name a coach places first on a teamsheet but Fozzard will be considered by many to be something of a gamble signing after having played almost no rugby over the past two seasons.

Precautions will be taken with 6ft 3ins tall Fozzard because of his arm history - although, at his request, there is a clause to 'null and void' his contract if recurrence of the injury takes place.

Anderson said: "He has been passed medically fit after being out for 12 months. We will protect him. We've got a guard being made for his arm, which is something Huddersfield didn't do.

"Nick had a plate put in his arm with three pins in it. When he came back to play, his bone cracked along the plate.

"Former Australian Test player Mal Meninga did it three times. He kept on getting hairline cracks along where the pins were and he ended up wearing a big guard until it had healed but there was no drama.

"Nick's had his plate removed, which means his arm is strong again. He has wanted to play straight away but I have said no. We will give him another three or four months to mend and I've told him not to expect to play until March.

"By the time he is ready he will be very hungry as he's naturally aggressive. "But Dale will complement that, he will settle him down a bit.

"Dale's the sort of bloke you need around the young players as he is a steadying influence and has a great personality.

"He will perform week after week for us. He'll be a Danny Nutley, a different style of player, but the same key cornerstone of the team every week.

"He won't stand out. He'll plug away, gain seven or eight metres every time he handles the ball and he will make it tight down the middle.

"Then there will be a hive of workers around him, the likes of Sid Domic, Paul Noone, Matt Sturm and Dean Busby.

"I want players who are going to be consistently performing because then we will be competitive every week."