Re: RD 1 | Salford Red Devils : Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:17 pm  

Good to get a win 1st game but we were poor for the majority of it. Out of the new signings I thought Millar looked decent at times. I accept it will take time for the attack to gel. Croft is a quality player, the challenge for Smith is to play a brand of Rugby that gets the best out of him in the way Rowley did.
Lisone gave some real impact from the bench and was a handful. Despite putting him in for his try Cameron Smith still got to 1st receiver too often and stifles the attack. Our forwards didn't seem to want to offload so we were very one out a lot. There is some quality players in the side though and we should have a bigger threat a few weeks down the line.
Handley was great bar the knock on. Showing again that he is the best winger at the club, scoring a try that Fusitua could only dream of.

Re: RD 1 | Salford Red Devils : Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:23 pm  

I thought Metallica, just before the sides came out, were awesome. On the field clunk, clunk and more clunk for the first half. Those drop balls by the wingers really took the pace out of our game and allowed Sneyd to control things. Second we played with more momentum and Frawley did a excellent job speeding up our attack. Salford did a great job on Croft but Rowley is a very good coach and was always going to come up a good game plan. Just happy to get the win.

Re: RD 1 | Salford Red Devils : Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:28 pm  

As many have said , good we got a
Win but disappointed so much of it looked similar to last season.
Too much ball in Cam Smith’s hands and nowhere near enough in Croft’s and Newman’s.
Salford made it scrappy.
Handley, Lisone excellent, good bits from Millar.
Tough test next week, thought HKR were very good v Fc.

Re: RD 1 | Salford Red Devils : Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:31 pm  

Just got home from the game, I expected us to be rusty and we were. Disappointing errors and lack of punch from the forwards in the first half, but better in the second half. Handley’s first was a belter, his second from a lovely kick, and Sam Lisone showed how you run onto a ball for his try.

Different view of Frawley from me, as you probably expect, he doesn’t really offer anything. His first play was the poor penalty kick that didn’t make touch, and then whilst some will say he takes the line on, he’s so slow it’s completely ineffective. Let’s hope he improves, we need more than a simple pass to the next man from a halfback, and if that’s his idea of organising play it leaves a lot to be desired.

Forwards looked ‘ploddy’ to start with, and we got rolled down the middle a lot, but the aggression picked up a bit in the second half.

Overall a 5/10 performance, plenty to work on but 2 points in the bag.

Re: RD 1 | Salford Red Devils : Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:50 pm  

I hope Smith has a look at what worked in the pack in particular. Now we've got through his testimonial emotion there should be no place for Donaldson in the 17, let alone starting, unless we're decimated by injuries. Based on that I'd look at both Ruan and TNW for next week. They both bring energy and aggression with the ball, which too many of our forwards lack.

The other thing is, and somebody mentioned this, but we need Cameron Smith to work out what his role is. He cannot be getting too much early ball at first receiver, as it stifles the attack. People said he did that last year because there were no other options, but frankly he needs to get out of the way of the play and accept he's not a playmaker but a ball handling forward.

Re: RD 1 | Salford Red Devils : Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:51 pm  

Just heard Smiths press conference and got to agree with him regarding the stoppages in the game. Not been allowed to kick for touch because a player stops to put a boot on was a joke. As was the length of time taken to look at the mom sin binning.

Fusitua out for 6-8 weeks. Operation on his knee

Re: RD 1 | Salford Red Devils : Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:56 pm  

batleyrhino wrote:

Just got home from the game, I expected us to be rusty and we were. Disappointing errors and lack of punch from the forwards in the first half, but better in the second half. Handley’s first was a belter, his second from a lovely kick, and Sam Lisone showed how you run onto a ball for his try.

Different view of Frawley from me, as you probably expect, he doesn’t really offer anything. His first play was the poor penalty kick that didn’t make touch, and then whilst some will say he takes the line on, he’s so slow it’s completely ineffective. Let’s hope he improves, we need more than a simple pass to the next man from a halfback, and if that’s his idea of organising play it leaves a lot to be desired.

Forwards looked ‘ploddy’ to start with, and we got rolled down the middle a lot, but the aggression picked up a bit in the second half.

Overall a 5/10 performance, plenty to work on but 2 points in the bag.

Totally agree on the Frawley front... Thought he was garbage.. along with the new centre.. Ackers did ok.. Newman runs up his own booty as normal... too much jumping... would love to have had Nene still in a leeds shirt.. was better than both our centres combined. Cameron smith stalls play... not sure what his role is gonna be.. Sangare is a big pudding, Miller looks class however.. Croft tackled well but not really in the game,,, Bentley is too light and we need James McDonnell back asap.. Other than that it was a win in the first game,,, Hopefully big improvements in the coming weeks. With the money spent, anything less than top 4 then Smith will be gone end of season. Think Wigan and Saints will be miles ahead in terms of quality. Onwards and upwards.

The reffing was bad for both teams, out of his depth. Salford did their best to slow the game to a plod which doesn't make for a spectacle for supporters.

Re: RD 1 | Salford Red Devils : Fri Feb 16, 2024 11:56 pm  

Sir Gregory ParsloeP wrote:

As many have said , good we got a
Win but disappointed so much of it looked similar to last season.
Too much ball in Cam Smith’s hands and nowhere near enough in Croft’s and Newman’s.
Salford made it scrappy.
Handley, Lisone excellent, good bits from Millar.
Tough test next week, thought HKR were very good v Fc.

Really? i thought KR were poor, no organisation and no kicking game, Hull FC were just utter dire.

Anyway a wins a win, I knew it would take a while to really click and remember Rowley knows croft and ackers games inside out so will have based the game plan around that.

I disagree we looked like the 2023 side, there was a lot of movement and running lines, they just didn’t quite click.

Anyway first ‘home’ round one win since 2018, and i feel a lot more positive than last years opening game.

Re: RD 1 | Salford Red Devils : Sat Feb 17, 2024 7:24 am  

Happy with the win, didnt play well but showed some decent signs at times.

In all the positive happenings of pre season, re- signing Bentley and Fusitua were the 2 decisions i didnt like, no suprises that 1 was sh*te yet again and the other injured yet again, amazed the club made these deals when any fan with an ounce of knowledge and a level head could predict the outcome.

Re: RD 1 | Salford Red Devils : Sat Feb 17, 2024 7:45 am  

Just watched the post match interviews. RS looked totally disinterested and not for the first time. He might be trying to appear nonchalant but you would hope he's a bit more convincing and passionate in front of the players.