Sky Sports pundits hit out at RFL over handling of Salford Red Devils

The RFL’s handling of the Salford Red Devils situation has been attacked by Sky Sports pundits Brian Carney and Jon Wilkin with the former of those questioning the organisation’s “silence” surrounding the situation.

Salford have had the £1.2 million salary cap reimposed after an RFL Special Measures Committee meeting earlier this week, however, the Red Devils were allowed dispensation to bring in the likes of Marc Sneyd, Kallum Watkins and Chris Hill following another meeting on Wednesday morning.

Their game against Castleford on Friday night was also in doubt over fears that the players would not play due to unpaid wages with those wages reportedly being paid late on Thursday evening.

The Salford saga is creating a huge cloud over the sport at the moment and that’s something that Sky Sports‘ Brian Carney mentioned as he hit out at the RFL over their silence on the matter.

Speaking on Sky’s coverage of St Helens v Hull KR, Carney argued: “There’s been a lack of distinct communication from the leadership of this game. I haven’t heard from any significant figure to explain to people what is going on, so when the salary cap restrictions are reimposed but dispensation is then offered to cover for suspended players, everybody else is asking ‘what’s going on here?'”

Sky Sports pundits hit out at RFL over handling of Salford Red Devils

That decision came on Wednesday morning with Salford naming a changed squad from the one they named to take on Midlands Hurricanes, which was also subject to the £1.2 million salary cap limit.

The RFL confirmed that dispensation had been given via a statement but Carney hit out at the lack of any senior RFL member fronting up to explain a decision.

On those decisions, he said: “They’re delivered in silence. You cannot find me an interview with a figure of note that has got a leadership role in this game.

“Has Tony Sutton spoken to anyone publicly? Has he addressed this issue with anyone? With the game, with the fans, not just Castleford or Salford, but the other fans, there’s silence. That’s when leaders stand up. Anyone can do it in the good times.”

Pundit Jon Wilkin agreed on the optics but moved to clarify that the blame lies with Salford for their conduct, stating: “The full situation is rank. All of it is rank.

“We can talk about how it’s communicated but we’ve had a club that’s whittled away and spent money and not been able to afford it for a long time. The fault lies with them.”

To that, Carney said: “I understand it’s a dynamic and ever-changing situation but that makes the need for communication all the more important and we’re not getting it.

“Take us through it. We’re all lovers of the sport and nobody wants to see these headlines.

“None of us like to say, wasn’t Vegas great? By the way the Salford players just got paid and we might have a game tomorrow.”