How Salford Red Devils could line up for 2025 after new signing

Salford Red Devils have just confirmed the huge coup of bringing Esan Marsters to the club for 2025 on a three-year deal, a player that will fit seamlessly into Paul Rowley’s style of play and contribute to what looks an incredibly exciting Red Devils side in 2025.

The biggest piece of recruitment and retainment that Salford Red Devils have overseen so far for the 2025 Super League season would be managing to keep hold of Paul Rowley with the 49-year-old knocking back Hull FC and affirming his future with Salford.

Rowley is contracted until the end of the 2025 season and an extension will surely be a priority for Director of Rugby Ian Blease, but there are still a few pieces to fill out in the squad too.

For a long time the Red Devils have been a selling club and they have already had some of their talent poached for the 2025 season but with quota spots expected to be available and the ability to work wonders on a budget, how could Salford Red Devils line up in 2025?

Where would this potential Salford Red Devils side finish in Super League?

Full-back: Ryan Brierley

Absolutely no surprises at full-back as Ryan Brierley takes his spot in the team. Wherever Paul Rowley goes, Brierley will almost certainly follow and with Rowley committed to the club then the Scotland international will be too.

Brierley will turn 33 next March but he’s contracted to the end of the 2026 season and has shown no signs of slowing down. He recently passed the 500-point mark in his career and will be hoping he can keep racking the tries up in Salford red for the foreseeable.

Wingers: Maika Sivo and Deon Cross

The first new signing of the team would be current Parramatta Eels winger Maika Sivo who has reportedly been shopped to Super League. He is already attracting the interest of one team per reports but Salford could certainly make a play.

They’re set to lose current overseas winger David Nofoaluma with the ex-Wests Tigers man not having played in weeks. That will open a quota spot, some cap and crucially a spot on the right wing. Deon Cross will continue to man the left edge after being contracted through 2025.

Centres: Esan Marsters and Nene Macdonald

There’s no surprise that new signing Esan Marsters is on the teamsheet with the Cook Islands international a near-perfect Paul Rowley player. Offloads, flair and hard carries characterise the Salford Red Devils’ backs and that’s exactly what Marsters will bring.

His arrival will likely mean the exit of Tim Lafai who has been murmured to be heading to Hull FC and with Lafai only contracted through 2025, compared to Marsters and Macdonald who are tied to the club until 2027 then it seems the Samoan could be the man who exists.

Should Salford somehow be bold enough to retain Lafai and roll into 2025 with three overseas centres then there’s the potential that Nene Macdonald could shift onto the wing, in which case they likely wouldn’t land Sivo or if they did then at Deon Cross could take a seat on the bench.

Half-backs: Marc Sneyd and Jake Clifford

Hull FC have been attempting to mimic Salford by trying to recruit Rowley and having signed hooker Amir Bourouh, so why shouldn’t the Red Devils bring back a former FC man? Jake Clifford has shown what he can do in a poor Super League side and Salford have shown how they can transform the careers of Australian halves.

The club have an option to extend Cade Cust which may not be taken and that could open up a quota spot for someone like Clifford to partner with the brilliant Marc Sneyd. Both bring a kicking game whilst Clifford brings defensive resolve as well. Could he become the next Jackson Hastings or Brodie Croft?

Hooker: Liam Horne

Liam Horne is still yet to be confirmed as having signed a new contract at Castleford Tigers which, given how many re-signings have been announced, would be a concern for the club. Enter Salford Red Devils.

Horne would be a brilliant signing for Paul Rowley’s side with his fast-paced style of play a counter to the calm of half-backs Clifford and Sneyd. Horne will also be spelled on and off by the ever-reliable Chris Atkin.

With Amir Bourouh heading to Hull FC and Cade Cust potentially out of contract at the end of the season, Horne would be a smart signing.

Props: Brad Singleton and Jack Ormondroyd

No change at prop with the industrious pair of Brad Singleton and Jack Ormondroyd tasked to do the hard yards once again in 2025. With a serious shortage of props off contract, it will pay clubs dividends to retain as many as they can and operate a large rotation.

Backing up this duo would be the likes of King Vuniyaywa, Gil Dudson (who Salford could easily sign permanently from Wire after the conclusion of his season-long loan), young Harvey Wilson who has just signed, and a host of other forwards that will potentially be extended such as Ben Hellewell, Adam Sidlow, Andrew Dixon.

Second-Row: Kallum Watkins and Shane Wright

More stability in the pack as captain Kallum Watkins pairs overseas star Shane Wright in the second-row. If it’s not broke don’t fix it, however, the Red Devils could certainly strengthen the depth at the position and London Broncos could be a smart place to look with the capital side having 26 players off contract.

An outside shout could be the return of Ben Murdoch-Masila from the NRL with the powerhouse’s contract running down at his current club St George Illawarra Dragons, if other quota spots remain unfilled.

Loose forward: Joe Shorrocks

Shorrocks has proven to be a brilliant player across the past season-and-a-half, making an impact with Wigan, Leigh and now Salford. Continuity has been an issue and with Oliver Partington off contract and reported to be on the radar of a number of clubs then Shorrocks may have to step up.

Salford Red Devils Possible 13 for 2025

FB: Ryan Brierley
RW: Maika Sivo (Quota)
RC: Esan Marsters (Quota)
LC: Nene Macdonald (Quota)
LW; Deon Cross
SO: Jake Clifford (Quota)
SH: Marc Sneyd
PR: Brad Singleton
HK: Liam Horne (Quota)
PR: Jack Ormondroyd
SR: Sam Stone (Quota)
SR: Kallum Watkins
LF: Joe Shorrocks
Interchanges
King Vuniyayawa (Quota)
Gil Dudson
Joe Cator
Chris Atkin