Glad I cashed out a couple of days ago as I had a decent sized bet on Salford at +14.5 but I had a feeling that the clearance wouldn't be done in time. Not sure why they can't play the same side as they played in the CC Cup which would've been more than competitive. Or have they just stuck 2 fingers up at the RFL? Feel sorry for the no doubt sizeable Salford contingent who have bought tickets fully expecting a full squad.

It's also embarrassing for SL that Saints have essentially received 2 free competition points just because of the fixture draw. Imagine they finish 1 point above relegation now

[quote="Stu M":1jq43afk]Glad I cashed out a couple of days ago as I had a decent sized bet on Salford at +14.5 but I had a feeling that the clearance wouldn't be done in time. Not sure why they can't play the same side as they played in the CC Cup which would've been more than competitive. Or have they just stuck 2 fingers up at the RFL? Feel sorry for the no doubt sizeable Salford contingent who have bought tickets fully expecting a full squad.[/quote:1jq43afk] Betting on the game has been removed by Skybet and Betfred so don’t know if any exsisting bet still stands

Saturday's evening viewing ruined. Just rugby leagues luck that this fixture was picked by the beeb

Why not lift the cap provisionally pending approval?

[quote="MadDogg":2gh1iuxa]Why not lift the cap provisionally pending approval?[/quote:2gh1iuxa] Not sure you can do that, what if approval was not granted and Salford won with a full strength team. Would they then have to forfeit the points.

[quote="Wigg'n":2lixkx4b]It's also embarrassing for SL that Saints have essentially received 2 free competition points just because of the fixture draw. Imagine they finish 1 point above relegation now [/quote:2lixkx4b] There's only one team bottom of SL at the moment

[quote="Stu M":haplomhm]There's only one team bottom of SL at the moment [/quote:haplomhm] There always is

[quote="karetaker":zeyafi6b]Not sure you can do that, what if approval was not granted and Salford won with a full strength team. Would they then have to forfeit the points.[/quote:zeyafi6b] It's a right mess whichever way you look at it. It will probably affect the crowd at Saints and, I would imagine that, the BBC are not too thrilled as it will affect their viewing figures. If Saints are not at the top of the league by Saturday evening they are in for a difficult season.

[quote="Stu M":2racd2lr]There's only one team bottom of SL at the moment [/quote:2racd2lr] At least once again we were history makers in defeat

[quote="Zig":uuo7svc9]It's a right mess whichever way you look at it. It will probably affect the crowd at Saints and, I would imagine that, the BBC are not too thrilled as it will affect their viewing figures. If Saints are not at the top of the league by Saturday evening they are in for a difficult season.[/quote:uuo7svc9] I believe Saints are livid. Any potential "walk ups" now won't happen. Salford have clearly looked at it and presumed that they had a good chance of losing with a weakened team anyway, so made the decision to completely rest everyone and go again in R2. That's how I see it anyway.

[quote="Stu M":1s3bwpei]I believe Saints are livid. Any potential "walk ups" now won't happen. Salford have clearly looked at it and presumed that they had a good chance of losing with a weakened team anyway, so made the decision to completely rest everyone and go again in R2. That's how I see it anyway.[/quote:1s3bwpei] Either that or as Jon Wilkin put it last night, it's a petty strategy to get back at the RFL.

Either way I think they should be looking at disciplinary action against Salford. There was a lot of goodwill shown towards them from across the game during this period of turmoil and it feels a bit like they've thrown it back in everyone's faces. This isn't a team resting players ahead of a Cup Final or Play off game. They were put under those special measures to help them and the other clubs voted to allow them an advance of the central distribution money and they then go and make a mockery of the first game of the season and to make matters worse, it's on the BBC. It feels like they've got this one all wrong IMO.

[quote="NickyKiss":w0ets3hd]Either way I think they should be looking at disciplinary action against Salford. There was a lot of goodwill shown towards them from across the game during this period of turmoil and it feels a bit like they've thrown it back in everyone's faces. This isn't a team resting players ahead of a Cup Final or Play off game. They were put under those special measures to help them and the other clubs voted to allow them an advance of the central distribution money and they then go and make a mockery of the first game of the season and to make matters worse, it's on the BBC. It feels like they've got this one all wrong IMO.[/quote:w0ets3hd] Agreed. They've also treated their travelling support with contempt too. I've not heard of a lot of their squad but some Saints fans have said 4 or 5 are under 18 and have barely played. There's a player welfare issue right there. I'll admit its also taken the gloss off it for me and my eldest lad tomorrow. I've gone from looking forward to it to now knowing we are going to win and it's just by what score. We are in a complete lose/lose situation as if we don't win by a cricket score we'll be criticised and if we do win well, it will be "well what did you expect, its only Salford Reserves" Tomorrow for me is purely 2 points, a chance to build some combinations, but we also should really be looking at trying to put a good score on. We finished 3rd in 2023 on points difference and it's a chance tomorrow to build that.

[quote="NickyKiss":1wy50oc2]Either way I think they should be looking at disciplinary action against Salford. There was a lot of goodwill shown towards them from across the game during this period of turmoil and it feels a bit like they've thrown it back in everyone's faces. This isn't a team resting players ahead of a Cup Final or Play off game. They were put under those special measures to help them and the other clubs voted to allow them an advance of the central distribution money and they then go and make a mockery of the first game of the season and to make matters worse, it's on the BBC. It feels like they've got this one all wrong IMO.[/quote:1wy50oc2] Bit left field here but I can’t see why the BBC don’t pull it from the schedule and put a film in its place. But then again it will likely look the mockery it’s going to be so the RA RA brigade will love this and give them cause to ridicule our game.

[quote="Stu M":22lxi0ff]I believe Saints are livid. Any potential "walk ups" now won't happen. Salford have clearly looked at it and presumed that they had a good chance of losing with a weakened team anyway, so made the decision to completely rest everyone and go again in R2. That's how I see it anyway.[/quote:22lxi0ff] Many Saints supporters are not Stu. I don't blame them Salford. The RFL has instructed them to play a weakened team, they now cannot moan that they have decided to play an Academy team. I was looking forward to watching the game, I'll now give it a wide berth. Salford may not be able to play a full team for weeks, in which case it devalues the competition as some teams will get an easy two points. What happens if a team wins the LLS on points difference or fails to make the top six? Our game continues to be a laughing stock. Lions on the field donkeys off it!

[quote="NickyKiss":2pab51wl]Either way I think they should be looking at disciplinary action against Salford. There was a lot of goodwill shown towards them from across the game during this period of turmoil and it feels a bit like they've thrown it back in everyone's faces. This isn't a team resting players ahead of a Cup Final or Play off game. They were put under those special measures to help them and the other clubs voted to allow them an advance of the central distribution money and they then go and make a mockery of the first game of the season and to make matters worse, it's on the BBC. It feels like they've got this one all wrong IMO.[/quote:2pab51wl] The RFL did not think this through. The special measures they placed on Salford prevented them from doing certain things rather than making them do certain things. They will still be playing their players so, at present, their financial situation is not improving. It may yet come to it that the RFL expunge Salford's games/scores this season. Irrespective of what happens in the future it will be costly for the game.

Salford only named 16 players, farcical, hard to believe I'm saying this but I feel sorry for Saints, they've been put in an appalling position

I’ve made it to 22-0 and 15 mins and that’s all I can stomach watching this non-event. What a joke our sport is being made to look from Salford’s decision making.

[quote="DannyT":novcm80g]I’ve made it to 22-0 and 15 mins and that’s all I can stomach watching this non-event. What a joke our sport is being made to look from Salford’s decision making.[/quote:novcm80g] Any perceptions are completely validated. Our sport is sadly barely professional; the governance is amateur and most clubs are run in a semi-professional way. Our main TV deal is barely over £20m, that’s an incredibly low amount of money these days. How is that meant to support even SL nevermind trickle down to grass roots? The NRL’s is 10x ours and they’re about to get even more from a US TV deal. Women’s football gets 3x ours and they’ve only been professional for about 6 years. Anyway, gone off-topic… Saints will be alright this season I think, should make the top 4 and probably push top 2.

Honestly, it makes an absolute mockery of the sport. I'd happily see Salford kicked out of the league. If someone has bought them, let them start in the Champ. They make the old Latics look well run.

I'm surprised at how angry I am at that farce tonight. Both Salford and the RFL should hang their heads in shame - a totally avoidable embarrassment after a really promising start to the season.

No one to blame but Salford. They’ve already had half a million up front and have thrown their toys out of the pram purely because the RFL are conducting due diligence on a new owner. For all intents and purposes he could be another Koukash. No reason why they couldn’t field the same team as last week which would’ve been competitive. Instead they threw in a bunch of kids and hung them out to dry

https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/new ... ord-977507 Absolutely spot on

https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/new ... ord-977507 Absolutely spot on

Beaumont has said something similar and I wouldn't be against all of the other clubs speaking out as well. Rowley claiming he didn't want to pick first teamers because they hadn't yet met the reserve players was ridiculous.