There may have been occasions, not so long ago, when those of a faint heart might have doubted the Salford Red Devils’ ability to secure an end of season place in the top six, but Saturday’s ten try romp over Hull FC, at the MKM Stadium, proved the extent of their improvement over this latter part of the season.
Merely the fact that they won at the home of a lower placed club is significant in itself, for we all remember the occasions, away at Castleford, London and Huddersfield, and at home in their first encounter with the Humbersiders, when they made heavy weather against each of them.
Not so, more recently, however, with the Red Devils running in a total of almost a hundred and twenty points in just two of their last three wins, alongside the other twenty-seven against Catalans, all of which is evidence of the high degree of professionalism they are now showing. The components of this, their most recent victory of the season, were wide-ranging to say the least, but delivered in a quite masterly fashion.
Coaches base their game plan around defence, and indeed Salford’s, on Saturday, was excellent as they limited Hull’s progress with the ball so effectively that it was not until the 35th minute that they had any possession at all in the vicinity of the Salford line.
This was helped considerably, in that first, half by both completion rates and discipline, a combination of which deprives opponents of much ball-possession. Whilst Salford have the ball, they don’t have to do so much tackling, so taking care in handling during the set is, and was on this occasion, imperative to their dominance. It was, in fact, as a result of their first handling error that the home side made that first 35th minute sortie into Salford territory.
Nothing is more dispiriting in a game than the conceding of an unnecessary penalty, which is, in itself, a ‘double whammy’ in terms of both possession and field position. The Red Devils’ discipline in that first half was excellent, helped, of course, by the lack of tackling they were having to do, because it is on defence where the vast majority of penalties is conceded. Similarly, keeping a full contingent of thirteen on the field has become absolutely vital this season, and the tenor of the game was such that there was seldom any untoward, or careless, action in defence.
Add into that mix all the other beneficial attributes, which the Red Devils possess, and it easy to see why they were so dominant. Their physical prowess over a young Hull side was quite evident as, man-for-man, the Salford players’ size and power outstripped that of their hosts, with Man-of-the-Match, Tim Lafai, notching up a hat-trick of tries, the first of which was aided considerably by his size and strength.
Marc Sneyd’s end-of-sets kicking-game, along with the contributions of half-back partner, Jayden Nikorima, was devastating to the inexperienced members of the opposition, the first of which forced a goal-line drop-out which in turn led to Lafai’s first try, and the second being fumbled by fullback, Moy, leading to Deon Cross’s try in the corner.
High class, execution of skills was paramount, particularly throughout the first half, and with so much possession they were able to run in a final total of ten tries, nine of which Sneyd converted, irrespective, apart from the first, of from where he was having to kick, giving him a contribution of eighteen points to the grand total.
Of the tries – and there was something special about each of them – the one which must have brought joy to every single Salford fan, was that of Brad Singleton. What a stalwart of the team he has become, taking on all the heavy lifting in the pack with surging carry after carry, and taking all the knocks and bangs this entails so ungrudgingly.
To see, therefore, his charge towards the Hull line, and at a superbly chosen angle, carrying would-be defenders with him, and then having the presence of mind to reach out and place the ball over the line, with the panache of a top-class winger, was uplifting in itself, though just seeing him getting the reward of a try was equally so.
Probably the other try, which will have pleased the purists of rugby especially, was that of Kallum Watkins, the build up to which was immaculate in the timing of the passes, with Nikorima’s final, telling pass, putting Watkins in the clear on another great angled run, the like of which has become almost his hallmark.
The Red Devils’ somewhat modest points’ differential has been a sort of ballast to them as the season has progressed, meaning that they have always been the lowest placed side, when tied alongside others on equal league points. Saturday’s win, alongside that over Huddersfield, will at least have gone some way towards reducing that by the time final positions are determined at the weekend.
