Following three consecutive wins in The Qualifiers, the Red Devils now prepare to the most talked about team in the game at the moment – Toronto Wolfpack. Although there is an undeniable aura surrounding the Canadian team this isn’t something Head Coach Ian Watson feels will faze his side.
Watson said: “There might be an element of that when you are having to travel over there because you are getting that new experience, but for them coming to play us here we have to be focused entirely on the game and getting the result just as we would were we playing Wigan Warriors or St Helens. We can’t be showing them any special treatment.”
Looking ahead to the game with that perspective, there is a notable element of familiarity within the Wolfpack’s ranks, with a number of former Salford players from recent years including Jake Emmitt, Adam Sidlow, Cory Paterson, Olsi Krasniqi, Mason Caton-Brown and Gareth O’Brien.
Watson said: “Of those there is only Gareth O’Brien who has left us recently so he will still know a fair bit about us, as we do about him. It does make it more intriguing when there are players who have freshly gone there from us, but he fact that they are coming back to face their old club will ensure that a good welcoming committee is awaiting them.”
Having spent their inaugural two seasons playing their home and away fixtures in blocks as opposed to a regular home-away schedule they are not used to having to adjust to the regular travelling as Catalans Dragons have had to do.
“Because most of them are based here in the UK, the travelling issue is more significant to them when they are playing in, and having to travel to, Toronto. They certainly came back over quickly after their game last weekend, because they were at our game at Halifax on Sunday. It will be interesting to see how they cope with the travelling as the weeks go on though.”
The Wolfpack are going to provide stern opposition this weekend with quality all over the park.
“Their pack is more or less a Super League pack with the likes of Ashton Sims and Darcy Lusisck, who have had NRL experience, not to mention others of the quality of Andrew Dixon and Bob Beswick who are all good, smart, professionals.
“In the backs there is Chase Stanley who is an NRL stand-off, together with Scottish international Matty Russell. Plus they’ve got the pace of Mason Caton-Brown.
Even with three wins from three, Ian Watson is not letting complacency slips in as he knows there is still a long way to go on the road to securing Super League status for the 2019 season.
“Ten points minimum is what is going to be needed in order to be safe, and the job is nothing like done until we have those, and even after that when five matches have been won we would want to win the remainder which would possibly be all seven.
“We shall just go game by game, and for now that means ensuring our processes are right going into this weekend’s game against Toronto.”
Welcome the Wolfpack!
Tickets for our next home game against Toronto Wolfpack on Saturday 8th September are available to purchase at the Club Ticket Office, over the phone on 0161 786 1570 or SAVE MONEY by buying online, just CLICK HERE.
