Former Salford Red Devils captain Lee Mossop believes that his old side will have the forward power to go up against the best this season.
Mossop retired last year and his career will be celebrated on Friday when Salford play Warrington Wolves at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in his testimonial match.
The prop forward had five seasons at Salford and captained them to two major finals, reaching the Grand Final in 2019 and the Challenge Cup final the following year against the odds.
After an 11th-placed finish in Super League last season, Salford have a new head coach in Paul Rowley and a host of new signings.
In the pack, King Vuniyayawa, Sitaleki Akauola, Alex Gerrard and Shane Wright have all arrived, joining the likes of Mossop’s former teammate Greg Burke.
“For the last years they’ve had an unbelievable backline, but I think the pack will trouble a few,” predicted Mossop.
“I don’t think a lot of clubs are going to speak about their pack in particular, but having played with them I know what a lot of them are about. I think they’ll go really, really well.
“With a squad like Salford, where they are on a very skeleton squad, they’re going to need a certain amount of luck where people stay fit, but I really do think they’re going to have a good go this year.”
Mossop speaks from experience having led the Salford class of 2019 which picked up the tag of ‘misfits’ on their unlikely journey to Old Trafford.
“We knew exactly what we were about, we knew what we were capable of,” he said.
“We’d mix it with the best of them, we feared no pack. I imagine this year will be the same.”
Friday’s testimonial match provides Salford’s final pre-season tune-up before the league season begins the following weekend.
Proceeds from the game will go to three chosen chairites – Hospice at Home, a care provider in Mossop’s native Cumbria; Two Brews, a homeless charity in Salford; and Kidscan, a children’s cancer charity also based in Salford.
