Everything Salford Red Devils’ Paul Rowley said on Nene Macdonald, Kallum Watkins, Chris Atkin, communication and cap restrictions

Salford Red Devils make the journey to Perpignan this week as they take on Catalans Dragons in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals. The Red Devils have named their squad for the last eight clash, with Kallum Watkins, Chris Atkin, Chris Hill and Joe Shorrocks included alongside a number of returning stars.

As such, despite the well-documented financial issues at the club, which continue to rumble on and hang over the Red Devils, they travel to the south of France in a good spot, relatively speaking.

Ahead of the meeting on Friday night, Salford Red Devils head coach Paul Rowley spoke to the press and here’s what he said on a number of issues including players refusing to play, Nene Macdonald, communication and whether there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

You said on Sunday that you weren’t sure why Kallum and Chris missed the game, have you got to the bottom of why?

Well, they’re playing this week and they didn’t last week. That’s all I care about.

Three played injured on Sunday, Chris Hill, Joe Shorrocks and Justin Sangare, how are they?

Sangare is the one who is struggling, the other two are fine. It will be a late check on Justin and his wife is expecting as well. We’re on a tight one there as she’s due this week. We’ll just play that as we see it.

Is there any way Nene Macdonald plays?

No, he has no chance. Unfortunately not.

How is this trip being paid for?

I do quite a few jobs here in these circumstances but I don’t pay or book the flights. You’ll have to ask someone else.

Have you had to explain to Nene the circumstances of why he can’t play?

He fully understands it. He understands the cap and the restrictions and all the moving parts. He gets it.

On communication, Curtis (Brown) attended the owners’ meeting this week, do you think the communication has been clearer and where it needs to be so the players have known more?

I think we kind of got to that point before the Wigan game. I’ve given my thoughts and I said that in the presser after the game and I think that was pretty much confirmed from above me that I wasn’t far off from that assumption and that’s the clarity people need. Without the minor detail of facts, figures, numbers and dates of being too accurate, but there or there abouts, we can cope with there being an end goal and we’re working towards something. We’ll dig in and we’re in it together at that point. I wouldn’t say it’s changed because we’re only one Wednesday. I’ve not been reading much but directly there’s not really been change there and there’s not needed to be.

Now players and staff have all been paid, is there any indication that the salary cap restriction might be lifted at some point?

Well that’s the plan but, as an organisation, when we fulfil our part of the bargain. That is the plan but no one has communicated that other than what we knew right at the beginning.

I get the feeling the owners have that in hand and can get the club back on track…

I hope so. That’s what we’re aiming for and we’re still here plugging away for some light at the end of the tunnel. We’re having a good time, we’re playing rugby and we’ve been paid.

Has a cloud been lifted?

I’ve not got a cloud over me. You’re making me miserable… I’m happy and there’s a lot of uncertainty but we’re here and cracking on. People deal with it differently but I can’t have doom and gloom over my head because what I have reflects on the group. I have to be upbeat for them, that’s part of leadership. I have a clear vision in my head of what it looks like and then we’ll deal with it as it comes.

Our travelling squad to face @DragonsOfficiel in @TheChallengeCup quarter-final! 👹🇫🇷

🔗: https://t.co/6AZbkDWtL2 pic.twitter.com/FRebpU2A0X

— Salford Red Devils 👹 (@SalfordDevils) April 2, 2025