Paul Rowley insisted his hands were tied when it came to the virtual reserve squad Salford Red Devils named for their Betfred Super League season opener away to St Helens.
The Red Devils went down 82-0 to Saints at Totally Wicked Stadium in Saturday evening’s Round 1 clash, which was broadcast live on free-to-air television in the UK on BBC Two.
In an interview shown ahead of the match, head coach Rowley maintained he had hoped to select a 15-player squad including the likes of Tim Lafai, Marc Sneyd and Kallum Watkins, who had not featured in the previous week’s Betfred Challenge Cup win over Midlands Hurricanes.
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However, he claimed he was prevented from doing so due to the special measures which remain imposed on Salford while their takeover awaits approval from the RFL.
“We’d read the narrative and it was probably a miscommunication across many fronts, but our club was certainly given the impression we had a full team to select from and we’d trained as such,” Rowley told BBC Sport.
“I couldn’t play the Midlands Hurricanes squad because we’ve got injuries. We had 17 players who featured in that game with a salary cap value of £1.2million and we weren’t under the impression or informed the people who played in that 1.2 had to remain the same 1.2.
“We picked a squad resting several players…and we presented two squads this week to the RFL, one with 15 players which was strong and included Kallum, Tim, Sneydy etc but then we were informed the governance was rigid regarding those players couldn’t play because they weren’t registered last week.
“It’s difficult then because 17 players playing every week are inevitably going to get some injuries within there.
“It made it physically impossible to turn out a squad, but I believe we presented a 15-man team to the RFL which would come and win, and that got discussed at the RFL and we got informed that wasn’t going to be accepted.”
In response, the RFL pointed to the stipulations they had placed on the Red Devils and the need for the takeover process to adhere to its operational rules.
“[The RFL] have reinforced to Salford the specific conditions which need to be met to allow the lifting of the salary cap restrictions,” a statement from the governing body to BBC Sport read.
“[The RFL] have also reconfirmed the steps that need to be taken to ratify the steps which need to be taken involving the fit and proper persons test, and then what needs to happen to take the club out of special measures.”
Rowley’s explanation cut no ice with Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont, who waded into the situation with a tirade on social media platform X.
“Complete disrespect from @SalfordDevils to the whole of @SuperLeague its stakeholders and fans it totally impacts the integrity of the comp,” Beaumont posted.
“What kind of new owners allow a coach to behave in such a way? I feel for those players that put the shirt on and gave their all. They should have told him to put one on himself. Disgraceful.
“Blaming the @TheRFL is totally wrong they knew what they had to do to pick from full squad and didn’t come up with it and have only themselves to blame.
“Could have picked team that went to midlands but trying give it the RFL and care not for how they look and the damage to the game.”
In his pre-match interview, though, Rowley was adamant everything was in place for Salford to move on pending the takeover being approved.
“We thought we’d got past the finish line,” Rowley said. “The wages have been paid, the lads have been paid in full every time, we’ve bought the Ferrari, it’s in the garage and the fuel is in it, and nobody will let us drive it. I only ever deal with logic – to me, there’s no logic in that.
“This is the first time I’ve seen our boys rattled. We’ve got to the finish line and someone has put another 100 metres on it.”
Image: Olly Hassel/SWpix
