Paul Rowley reckons Salford can move up through the gears after their “special” win at Castleford, followed by their 38-12 victory at home against Toulouse Olympique.
The new coach is desperate to lift the team up the table after last year’s second-bottom finish – and he has got off to a flying start.
It was a busy closed-season for Rowley, who has ex-Leigh interim coach Kurt Haggerty and Danny Orr working alongside him.
Salford were highly active on the recruitment front, and have fielded eight new signings this season.
Former Leigh and Toronto team chief Rowley has handed club debuts to backs Ryan Brierley, Tim Lafai, Deon Cross and Brodie Croft and forwards Sitaleki Akauola, Shane Wright and King Vuniyayawa.
And playing alongside Aussie Croft, a World Club Challenge winner with Melbourne Storm who has switched from Brisbane Broncos, is Marc Sneyd, who has returned for a second spell at the Red Devils after seven seasons at Hull.
Cool kicker Sneyd, 31, whose first Salford spell lasted five seasons, slotted seven goals out of seven in a man-of-match display at Castleford, while he added five goals against Toulouse.
It took the Red Devils four attempts to record their first win last season, when there were seven in 22 league games overall.
And Rowley, who first joined the club in a consultancy role midway through 2019, when Salford made the Grand Final, said: “The Castleford game was special.
“I said to Kurt that we’ll always remember the day, it will always stick in our heads, our first game, and a win.
“We’ve got some ingredients and character traits that are pretty good, but I don’t think we played anywhere like we can do.”
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