SHANE Duffy reckons captain Grant Hanley has been ‘head and shoulders’ above every other Blackburn Rovers player this season.

Hanley missed his first Championship game of the campaign on Saturday with a shoulder injury sustained during a fall in training.

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Without their skipper Rovers went down to a 2-0 home loss to table-topping Hull City that stretched their winless league run to nine matches.

But with Hanley back in the side they ended that worrying set of results on Tuesday with a 3-0 home victory over Fulham.

The Scotland international helped keep the Cottagers’ 30-goal strike-force quiet as Rovers recorded their 11th clean sheet of the season.

And after afterwards his centre-back partner Duffy, who doubled the advantage on the night, said: “Grant coming back and getting a clean sheet shows what an effect he has when he is on the pitch.

“He has been head and shoulders above everyone. He’s been a proper captain, a proper leader and, as you saw on Saturday, when he’s not on the pitch you miss him.

“It’s great to play alongside him, if I play alongside him, because the competition is great.”

Duffy was recalled to the starting line-up against Hull after losing his place to Elliott Ward for two games.

Ward is one of seven signings Rovers boss Paul Lambert has made since January.

So, while top-scorer Jordan Rhodes has been sold to Middlesbrough, Duffy believes the squad is now stronger.

“You should have seen the squad tonight,” said the Republic of Ireland international. “Three proper players – not young players – didn’t make the bench.

“Although we’ve lost Jordan, we’ve got the money, and I think we’ve got a stronger squad of players now.”