Marc Sneyd has acknowledged that Salford Red Devils are a different club today compared to the last time he pulled on their jersey in 2013.
After seven seasons at Hull FC, the halfback last week made the shock move back across the Pennines to return to where it all began, signing a three-year deal to link up with Salford’s new head coach Paul Rowley.
Sneyd enjoyed great success in East Yorkshire, twice lifting the Challenge Cup and winning the Lance Todd Trophy two years running in 2016 and 2017, but the pull of a move back to Salford to be closer to his home town of Oldham was too much to resist.
He was just 22 when he made the last of his 45 Super League appearances for Salford in 2013 and returns at the age of 30 a vastly more experienced player.
“I wouldn’t say I’m a completely different player, but I’d say I’m probably a more level-headed player than when I was last here,” said Sneyd.
“I’ve got a lot more composure about me and a lot more knowledge of the game, so to speak, which I’ve gradually learnt. It’s a good asset to have.
“A lot of people say experience is overrated, but when you’re playing in certain positions I don’t believe it is. There are certain things that you can’t teach and one of them is experience.
“I’ve come a very long way since my last time in a Salford shirt, so I’m looking forward to doing it again.”
The Red Devils have made great strides too since Sneyd started out for them at the Willows, reaching two major finals in the past three years.
“It’s pretty exciting around Salford,” he said.
“The players that have come in are outstanding signings and the squad has the potential to do big things.”
Salford’s new coach Paul Rowley has called for leaders to emerge in the Salford squad and his first signing is happy to shoulder the responsibility and take charge on the field.
“It probably just comes with my role within the team anyway,” said Sneyd.
“We’ve not had time to sit and talk massively yet, but I assume organising the team, dictating play and the speed of the game will be quite high on his list of jobs for me to do on the field.
“Being a leader on the field just comes with that territory. I’d say I’d quite naturally walk into that role anyway, whether people ask me to do it or not.
“Especially when we’re on the field, I’m naturally going to be the loudest player on the field. I’ll be telling people what to do, whether they like it or not!”
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