Super League boss addresses disastrous defeat

Salford Red Devils boss Paul Rowley believes early chances could have changed the outcome of their pre-season friendly against St Helens.

Salford travelled to the Totally Wicked Stadium looking to gain valuable match minutes ahead of our Betfred Super League season.

Tries from new signing, Matty Foster and Scott Egan were highlights for the Red Devils, but Saints crossed nine times to secure a 52-10 victory.

Speaking post-match on the club’s official website, Rowley provided his take on the contest: “It always matters, doesn’t it, but we had to be careful because we need to make sure we’ve got a healthy squad.

“Our objective was to come through healthy, so most lads got 20 minutes, some 40, so we’ve come through alright in that respect.”

Super League boss explains defeat

In the early stages, Salford – normally via the boot of Marc Sneyd – caused the hosts some problems, especially in the blustery conditions.

Rowley continued to say a few of these moments could have put ‘a different slant on proceedings’.

“I thought physically we held our own when got our full side out, no problem. I thought technically we just missed a beat on a few things,” he said.

“We’ve got a couple of bodies in different positions, which is why that happened and I think we missed a couple of opportunities early-on as well where it might have just put a different slant on proceedings.”

“It was quite chilled at half-time to be honest – for them reasons.

“We felt like the things that we wasn’t doing right were easily fixable, it wasn’t commitment or character, or toughness, which is ultimately the number one objective when you come to St Helens, you’ve got to play tough, so I thought there was plenty of that about us, but we weren’t good enough in certain areas.”

With just under a fortnight until the new Super League season, Rowley and his side will dust themselves down and prepare to face Leeds Rhinos at Headingley where new signing Nene MacDonald will take on his former club.