Salford Red Devils

Salford Red Devils “on life support” as pundit gives reality check after Hull KR loss

by
Sam Cook
May 4, 2025

Salford Red Devils were nilled for a fifth time in ten Super League games as they lost to Hull KR at Magic Weekend and pundit Jon Wilkin has asked questions of the club’s current ‘existence’.

The Red Devils were nilled at Magic Weekend for a second straight season as league leaders Hull KR ran riot and won 54-0, despite being very sloppy themselves.

Jon Wilkin has reasoned that came on account of Hull KR having to play what is “essentially a Championship team” as the pundit also answered questions over whether Salford’s current state is an ‘existence’.

Former Leeds Rhinos man put it forward that despite Salford being “on life support”, the club were “still existing” and that was questioned by Sky Sports’ host Brian Carney.

Wilkin responded: “It’s not (an existence), it’s sad isn’t it just watching the demise of the club before our very eyes.”

The Red Devils remain under a restricted salary cap with the club still under special measures due to their financial situation, which currently has no end in sight.

Salford Red Devils ‘bleeding out in front of our very eyes’

Salford had financial concerns heading into the season but those looked to end when a group led by Swiss banker Dario Berta was announced as taking them over and ‘clearing all debts’ on the eve of the season.

In truth, that hasn’t happened with the club’s debts still existing and the group drip-feeding cash in as they await the full purchase of the stadium, a situation which is ongoing and only hurting the club, the players and the fans.

After Jamie Jones-Buchanan claimed the club to be “on life support and bleeding out”, Jon Wilkin assessed gave his own verdict.

“They’re cost-cutting and selling players, just existing, it’s everything that professional sport isn’t, which is about striving to succeed,” the former St Helens man reasoned.

“We’re watching them, as Jonesy said, bleed out in front of our eyes and it is sad.”

Assessing the game, which saw Hull KR score nine tries despite struggling with errors throughout, Wilkin said: “It’s a difficult task to play against what is essentially a championship team that is in Super League and that’s what Salford are.

“You see their points difference sitting at negative 331. Hull KR dominated from start to finish and it was easy for them.”