Salford Red Devils ‘overachieved’ in 2022 thanks to Paul Rowley, reveals star player

Salford Red Devils snuck into the play-offs finishing sixth in 2022 before hammering third place Huddersfield to make the semi-finals before losing out to eventual champions St Helens.

Those achievements came under the leadership of Paul Rowley who was in his first season as coach at the AJ Bell stadium, an incredibly impressive feat considering their 11th placed finish in 2021.

During the campaign the Red Devils scored for fun, second only to Wigan, with winger Ken Sio ranking second in the try scoring charts with 26 and playmaker Brodie Croft earning the Man of Steel Award.

Another player who starred was Ryan Brierley who was rewarded with a World Cup call up for Scotland and the full-back has had his say on the success of 2022 and the man behind it.

Speaking with player agent, Craig Harrison, on Harrison’s Show Me The Money Youtube channel, Brierley was asked if the Red Devils had overachieved in 2022.

“Yeah, massively,” he responded, before being asked about the acquisition of Paul Rowley.

“Not just from a coaching point of view but as in he (Rowley) has restructured the whole club. Think about when Ian Watson left, Jackson Hastings as best player in the league left, obviously Tui Lolohea went.

“The big thing that was undersold was the experience in the pack that left, Lee Mossop, Mark Flanagan, Josh Jones, Tyrone McCarthy, Gil Dudson. That’s a full pack just gone.

“Watson’s team was dismantled really so the year after was always going to be tough. I always believed he (Rowley) would be successful but I thought it would take three years which is why I said we overachieved. That was really quick, I was excited in the playoffs but I was more excited for the years to come.”

Heading into 2023 Salford still have their Man of Steel but have lost captain Elijah Taylor to the Championship.

That has seen Kallum Watkins given the armband with their signings including Oliver Partington, Andrew Dixon and Leigh pair Adam Sidlow and Sam Stone among others.