ESL ESL Salford - News and Views

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Venue: AJ Bell Stadium Date: Thursday, 26 September Kick-off: 19:45 BST Coverage: BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra & BBC local radio; live text coverage on the BBC Sport website and app

Salford Red Devils name an unchanged side for their Super League play-off eliminator against Castleford Tigers on Thursday. Ian Watson's side were defeated by Wigan Warriors at the DW Stadium on Friday while Cas sealed their place by beating Warrington on Thursday.

Castleford make two changes from the side that defeated the Wire.

Mike McMeeken and Calum Turner miss out as Nathan Massey and Greg Eden come into the visitors' 19-man squad.

 

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Salford Red Devils (14) 22

Tries: McCarthy, Bibby, Hastings Goals: Inu 5

Castleford Tigers (0) 0

Salford Red Devils are within one win of Super League's Grand Final after beating Castleford Tigers in their play-off eliminator.

Salford will face the loser of Saints and Wigan, with the winner on 4 October heading to Old Trafford eight days later.

Tigers' hopes of a second Grand Final appearance in three seasons are over.

Tyrone McCarthy and Jake Bibby scored first-half tries and Jackson Hastings added a solo effort late on.

 

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"We're a bunch of misfits, I've said it before. We've got pretty much 30 blokes who have been discarded and told they weren't good enough."

Those were the words of star half-back Jackson Hastings after Salford Red Devils upset the odds once more, beating Wigan Warriors 28-4.

 

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Wigan Warriors (0) 4

Try: French

Salford Red Devils (12) 28

Tries: Dudson, Lussick, Mossop Goals: Inu 8

Salford Red Devils reached their first Super League Grand Final after upstaging five-time champions Wigan Warriors at the DW Stadium.

Just 12 months after battling to avoid relegation, the Red Devils have stunned the English rugby league establishment to book a meeting with St Helens at Old Trafford on Saturday, 12 October.

Ex-Wigan prop Gil Dudson's try helped put Salford 12-0 up at the break.

Another ex-Warriors forward Lee Mossop also touched down to seal a famous win.

Former New Zealand and Samoa centre Krisnan Inu crucially contributed 16 points with the boot, with his composure in landing two early penalties setting up the little-fancied Red Devils for one of Super League's most famous upsets.

Dudson's first-half try and further four-pointers from Joey Lussick and Mossop put the visitors on their way to Old Trafford just after the hour mark, with a Bevan French try for Wigan coming as a late consolation effort.

 

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Salford Red Devils have signed London Broncos trio Elliot Kear, Rhys Williams and Luke Yates.

Versatile back Kear, 30, winger Williams, 29, and forward Yates, 24, were part of the London team relegated from Super League in September.

 

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Salford head coach Ian Watson has signed a new contract to keep him with the Super League club until 2022.

 

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Salford play their first competitive fixture at the AJ Bell Stadium since last season's 22-0 play-off win over Castleford as they host Super League new boys Toronto Wolfpack.

Ryan Lannon and Connor Jones return to a squad well beaten in last Friday's opener against champions St Helens.

Salford old boy Gareth O'Brien is part of Toronto's weakened 20-man squad.

Brian McDermott's Wolfpack are out to improve on last weekend's 28-10 'home' loss to Castleford at Headingley.

Salford (from): Evalds, Welham, Sarginson, Inu, Lolohea, Brown, Mossop, Lussick, Dudson, Lannon, Pauli, McCarthy, Ikahihifo, Burke, Yates, Atkin, Johnson, Greenwood, Williams, Sio, Jones.

Toronto (from): O'Brien, Russell, Leutele, Kay, Mellor, McCrone, Sidlow, Ackers, Mullally, Dixon, Thompson, Wilkin, Springer, Olbison, Wallace, Singleton, Wheeler, Cunningham, Williams, Miloudi.

 

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Salford Red Devils weathered a second-half comeback from Toronto Wolfpack to deny the Canadian side their maiden Super League victory.

Gary Wheeler went in for Toronto after 18 minutes but Kevin Brown scored his first Salford try to edge them ahead.

Tui Lolohea's converted try put Salford further ahead before Rhys Williams ran in from 70 metres at the restart.

Wheeler and Brad Singleton drew Toronto level but Salford's Dan Sarginson and Niall Evalds crossed late on.

The result means Toronto have suffered back-to-back defeats in their first season in Super League after they went down 28-10 in last week's 'home' loss to Castleford at Headingley.

 

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Salford Red Devils (2) 18

Tries: Evalds 2, Brown Goals: Lolohea 3

Wigan Warriors (14) 14

Tries: Hastings, Powell Goals: Hankinson 3

Salford overturned a 12-point deficit to beat Super League leaders Wigan and end a run of four straight defeats.

Wigan led 14-2 with first-half tries from former Salford talisman Jackson Hastings and hooker Sam Powell.

However, Niall Evalds' second-half double - the second a 90-metre run to the line - brought the score level.

Another long-distance break, this time from Rhys Williams, provided the platform for Kevin Brown to dive over from dummy half for the winner.

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