With it being Boxing Day, we thought we’d look at what every Super League club would wish for this Christmas – within reason of course. Now we’re looking at Salford Red Devils who are under a new coach in 2022 and hoping to replicate the dramatic success they enjoyed in 2019 and 2020 playing in both the major finals in the space of 12 months. Dreaming of a similar season, what should have been on their Christmas list to make that happen?
For the Red Devils, 2021 was the start of a new chapter as the club stepped cautiously into the post-Ian Watson era. Watson had done a lot of good for the club developing players and building a superb side who were able to defy the odds and make it to a first Grand Final before showing that quality again on the road to Wembley in 2020 even if their league form was less consistent.
The job of Richard Marshall was to continue that good work but, despite the fact he kept the club well away from relegation and oversaw some fantastic wins like their triumph at the expense of Hull FC late on last season, was later replaced by the brilliant Paul Rowley who has developed sides masterfully in the past often bringing the best out of attacking players and his reunion with Ryan Brierley will give the Red Devils a real cutting edge given the fact Brierley averaged over a try per game under Rowley at Leigh.
He’s not the only high-profile recruit at Salford this winter with exciting halfbacks Marc Sneyd and Bordie Croft coming to the club and giving them real quality in key positions potentially filling the huge hole Jackson Hastings left after his departure in 2019.
That brings us nicely to what Salford should wish for this Christmas. They should wish that Croft becomes the next Hastings. Like Hastings, Croft started in the NRL with huge potential but things didn’t go his way due to the presence of other top halfbacks at his club with Jahrome Hughes helping to end his time at Melbourne much like how Daly Cherry-Evans spelled the end of Hastings’ time at Manly. So, with a similar past behind him but also brilliant untapped potential, Croft could very well be the second coming of Hastings and be the key to Salford’s return to the play-offs.
So, when it comes to what Salford should be hoping for this Christmas, it’s most definitely that Croft can fulfil his potential in Super League alongside Salford’s other exciting signings who together could turn the Red Devils into one of the best attacking sides in the competition next season.
