IT’S been yet another off-season of upheaval for the Salford Red Devils with seemingly endless financial issues plaguing the club before a ball as even been kicked in 2025.
The club was placed under special measures and secured an advance to the tune of £500,000 of central distribution funding in December.
The governing body, the RFL, most recently instructed the Red Devils to sell players in a bid to reach the £1.2 million sustainability cap imposed on the club.
This has subsequently seen the likes of Marc Sneyd, Nene Macdonald and Jack Ormondroyd being linked to rival Super League sides.
However, Paul Rowley’s squad – as things currently stand – is still very much together and raring to go and build on their 2024 season which saw the Red Devils make the play-offs.
One man, captain Kallum Watkins, who has also been linked with a move to Leeds Rhinos and Wakefield Trinity, is not listening to outside noise.
“There’s been a lot of talk obviously over the last few months but it’s the kind of thing that we (have come to) expect over the last few years whilst I’ve been at Salford,” Watkins told The Sportsman.
“For us, it’s just about cracking on with pre-season, making sure that we’re training hard and preparing for a big season so it’s about keeping away from the noise.”
Another of the Salford stars, Ryan Brierley, has also emphasised the bond between the players and staff at Salford.
“I think the belief has always been there since when I joined on day one three of four years ago,” Brierley also told The Sportsman.
“There’s a lot of turmoil and bumps in the road when you play at Salford but the credit goes to the playing group and the coaching staff who managed to keep us competitive each year.”
