Was Phil correct all along?
Sunday 27 July 2014 20:21, UK
I predicted Salford would go all the way – I thought they’d finish eighth and then win the Grand Final. That’s what I said at the start of the season.
I’ve been ridiculed for it. Twenty-one, 22 rounds in and even I started to worry that they couldn’t do it but a remarkable run of three straight wins – very impressive ones as well – and a pretty good performance against Castleford the week before has convinced me that maybe, just maybe.They’ve only got two places to climb and then they’re in the top eight.
They lost to Castleford but they were the better team. They should have won at Castleford.
They’ve got Leeds this week on Friday night on Sky Sports and they have to win. If they do, then there’s potential they’ll be the ones to nick eighth place from the Widnes Vikings. Leeds are without Kevin Sinfield and the game is at Salford.
Salford need five wins in their last six bearing in mind they’ve got to play some hard games.
"I thought they’d get to seventh or eighth and then in the play-offs – because they’ve got Rangi Chase and players like him – they could be that maverick team who win it."
Slow start
They started badly because they were a new team, they’ve sacked their coach and they’ve got a new coach in Iestyn Harris who only came in halfway through the season. It seems, although they had a shocking time when he first got there, they’re finally getting things together now.
As the season has gone on, the older players have either got injured or left with the last coach or been suspended like Gareth Hock who has just got a seven-match suspension. I don’t agree with his ban but that’s a separate story!
I think they’ve got younger, faster backs now than they had at the start of the season, which might be a generalisation. But I’m particularly impressed with Niall Evalds who played full-back – he was only in there because Kevin Locke, the big signing from New Zealand a few weeks ago, was out injured. He’ll come back in though.
In theory, Kevin Locke is the best player in Super League. In theory, that could be true. The facts are that he was the New Zealand full-back at last year’s World Cup final and was one of the stars of the World Cup in this country last year.
Full-back is like football’s centre-forward in rugby league – it’s the most important position. In fact, it’s like an attacking central midfielder!
Money matters
Salford's owner Marwan Koukash is heavily into tweeting and is all over media, and they’re probably the team that other fans dislike – and people feel that Salford are trying to buy their success.
But in their defence it’s very hard to wake a sleeping giant, a team that’s been in a coma for 25 years. Koukash has to do something. They need a nudging and he’s upset a few people.
I thought they’d get to seventh or eighth and then in the play-offs – because they’ve got players like Rangi Chase – they could be that maverick team who win it. Who know's what carrot Koukash will dangle in front of his players but they have the skills of the likes of Chase and could definitely do it. Perhaps the owner might treat them to a trip away or something like that as a prize, that would be an amazing story.
They need five wins from their last six wins, in my opinion, to qualify. They’ve got speed and any team with speed has a chance.
I still haven’t changed my mind about Salford but it makes Friday’s game against Leeds interesting.
