‘Needs to be sacked’ – Salford Red Devils face investigation for record-breaking 82-0 loss
The Rugby Football League (RFL) have launched an investigation over Salford Red Devils’ squad selection which resulted in an 82-0 loss to St Helens. Salford wheeled out a squad of 16 on Saturday that was largely comprised of reserve and academy players for Saturday’s fixture, which was broadcast live on the BBC. Salford made Super League history for all the wrong reasonsGetty The club was left with little choice but to do so after they failed to have their sustainability cap of £1.2million lifted in time for the match. Salford were initially placed under the reduced sustainability cap and forced by the RFL to sell players in January after their fellow Super League clubs green-lit an advance on their 2025 central distribution money, which amounted to £500,000. The Red Devils were also taken over by a consortium, although it’s awaiting final approval from the RFL. Upon seeing the vastly inexperienced squad, Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin blasted Salford and believed it was a direct protest towards the RFL. “I’d imagine Salford are trying to strong-arm the game into making a call,” Wilkin said. “That’s exactly what it looks like.” Wilkin added: “Salford have been in special measures and they’re a fantastic club and we all value their participation in our competition, but the financial situation they’ve got in is self-inflicted. “They’ve spent more than they had, they then needed a bailout from the game and now they’ve thrown the teddies out and picked a weak team for round one.” However, Salford coach Paul Rowley explained the decision-making process behind the squad and revealed he found out about the situation an hour before he was due to name the team for Saturday. “It was a difficult moment to be honest,” Rowley told the BBC on Saturday. Red Devils fans expressed their outrage at the RFL on SaturdayGetty “We had read the narrative, it was probably a miscommunication on many fronts. “Our club was of the impression that we had a full team to select from and we trained as such. “We had done our main session and squad declaration was on a day off so it became a very difficult process.” Despite Rowley’s explanation, the RFL has confirmed on Monday it will dig deeper into the situation and informed the club they have seven days to respond. “The RFL have today contacted Salford Red Devils to confirm that a compliance investigation will be launched to consider the circumstances around their squad selection for Saturday’s Betfred Super League fixture at St Helens, and whether they have brought the sport into disrepute,” the statement read. Salford’s inexperience showed on the field at the Totally Wicked Stadium, as St Helens ran in 15 tries to mark the biggest winning margin in Super League history. Tristan Sailor ran riot in his debut for St HelensGetty Tristan Sailor was the pick of the bunch for the Saints, scoring four tries and running for 177 metres. As for Salford, they made 366 metres compared to St Helens’ total of 1705 metres. Rowley’s side also missed 79 tackles. Following the result, fans and pundits tore into Salford’s management for allowing such a situation to unfold. Tom Burgess, a 29-cap England international, was among those voices as he wrote on X: “Whoever decided this was a good look for our game needs to be sacked, feel sorry for those young lads thrown out there! Sort it out.” In a separate post, Burgess said: “This should never of (sic) been allowed to happen! Never mind round one of a new season.” Salford will hope for progress on the approval of their new ownership in time for next Saturday when they host Leeds Rhinos at the Salford Stadium.
The Rugby Football League (RFL) have launched an investigation over Salford Red Devils’ squad selection which resulted in an 82-0 loss to St Helens.
Salford wheeled out a squad of 16 on Saturday that was largely comprised of reserve and academy players for Saturday’s fixture, which was broadcast live on the BBC.
The club was left with little choice but to do so after they failed to have their sustainability cap of £1.2million lifted in time for the match.
Salford were initially placed under the reduced sustainability cap and forced by the RFL to sell players in January after their fellow Super League clubs green-lit an advance on their 2025 central distribution money, which amounted to £500,000.
The Red Devils were also taken over by a consortium, although it’s awaiting final approval from the RFL.
Upon seeing the vastly inexperienced squad, Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin blasted Salford and believed it was a direct protest towards the RFL.
“I’d imagine Salford are trying to strong-arm the game into making a call,” Wilkin said.
“That’s exactly what it looks like.”
Wilkin added: “Salford have been in special measures and they’re a fantastic club and we all value their participation in our competition, but the financial situation they’ve got in is self-inflicted.
“They’ve spent more than they had, they then needed a bailout from the game and now they’ve thrown the teddies out and picked a weak team for round one.”
However, Salford coach Paul Rowley explained the decision-making process behind the squad and revealed he found out about the situation an hour before he was due to name the team for Saturday.
“It was a difficult moment to be honest,” Rowley told the BBC on Saturday.
“We had read the narrative, it was probably a miscommunication on many fronts.
“Our club was of the impression that we had a full team to select from and we trained as such.
“We had done our main session and squad declaration was on a day off so it became a very difficult process.”
Despite Rowley’s explanation, the RFL has confirmed on Monday it will dig deeper into the situation and informed the club they have seven days to respond.
“The RFL have today contacted Salford Red Devils to confirm that a compliance investigation will be launched to consider the circumstances around their squad selection for Saturday’s Betfred Super League fixture at St Helens, and whether they have brought the sport into disrepute,” the statement read.
Salford’s inexperience showed on the field at the Totally Wicked Stadium, as St Helens ran in 15 tries to mark the biggest winning margin in Super League history.
Tristan Sailor was the pick of the bunch for the Saints, scoring four tries and running for 177 metres.
As for Salford, they made 366 metres compared to St Helens’ total of 1705 metres.
Rowley’s side also missed 79 tackles.
Following the result, fans and pundits tore into Salford’s management for allowing such a situation to unfold.
Tom Burgess, a 29-cap England international, was among those voices as he wrote on X: “Whoever decided this was a good look for our game needs to be sacked, feel sorry for those young lads thrown out there! Sort it out.”
In a separate post, Burgess said: “This should never of (sic) been allowed to happen! Never mind round one of a new season.”
Salford will hope for progress on the approval of their new ownership in time for next Saturday when they host Leeds Rhinos at the Salford Stadium.
