Championship club hit out at RFL and Salford Red Devils for signing player without consent

After the news that Salford had made a loan move for a Championship player, the lower-league club have hit out at the Red Devils’ conduct.

In a statement offering clarity over the loan move, whilst also outlining the flaws in rugby league, Hunslet RLFC have critiqued the struggling Super League club regarding their loan move for hooker Kobe Rugless.

Early Thursday evening, Salford announced that they had signed Rugless on a two-week loan deal from the Championship’s bottom club Hunslet. The Parksiders had released a statement initially simply comfirming the deal and wishing their player well.

Fast forward 15 hours and they have provided clarity, confirming that Salford initially attempted to sign Rugless on a permanent deal with no compensation offered, on account of the fact the Red Devils could not afford to pay a fee.

Hunslet have explained their side of the story, revealing that contact was made behind the club’s back with no fee offered, before a compromise of a loan move was agreed.

Salford Red Devils’ conduct questioned over latest transfer

In a message to the fans, who Hunslet labelled as ‘our greatest asset’, the Parksiders argued that much of the issues they face stem from the issues above them in the rugby league pyramid.

They explained: “This situation has arisen from circumstances beyond our control and reflects broader issues within the governance and administration of the sport at higher levels.”

Regarding the Kobe Rugless situation, they revealed that late on Wednesday the player and head coach Dean Muir were told that a permanent deal had been arranged with Salford hoping to do so before the deadline on Thursday in order to ensure Rugless played this weekend.

Hunslet also confirmed that the discussions took place without their “involvement or consent”, adding:  “Even more concerning, Salford’s position was that Kobe would join them without a transfer fee, as they could not afford to pay one.”

Explaining their impossible position, for which they’ve called out the RFL for allowing, that they did not want to prevent a young player from earning a shot in Super League but also didn’t want to lose such a player for no compensation, Hunslet confirmed that they agreed to a two-week loan deal.

However, they’ve fired a warning to Salford or any other Super League clubs who may come for their players in the future.

“Should a Super League club wish to secure Kobe’s services beyond this period, we welcome a proper discussion that recognises and respects Hunslet’s role in his development.

“While we would love to see Kobe remain at Hunslet for the long-term, we believe this solution best balances his ambitions with our responsibility to protect the interests of our club and our supporters. We are proud of the environment we’ve created — one that attracts and nurtures players of Kobe’s quality — and we will continue to stand up for fairness, integrity, and the value of community-led Rugby League.”

It’s expected that Rugless will be named to Salford’s squad to face Hull FC on Sunday with the squad set to be announced at midday today (Friday).

Club statement on the ongoing Kobe Rugless situation#swsa https://t.co/u4twxZBU93

— Hunslet RLFC (@HunsletRLFC) June 20, 2025