Salford RLFC snap up former Wigan Warriors youngster in cross-Championship deal

Former Wigan Warriors young gun Joe Baldwin has joined Salford RLFC on a deal until the end of 2027 from financially-stricken fellow Championship outfit North Wales Crusaders.

Baldwin joined Wigan as a 14-year-old from local community club Orrell St James, and is a product of their youth system.

Departing The Brick Community Stadium without making a first-team appearance as a teenager ahead of the 2024 campaign, he linked up with Crusaders and quickly became a part of the furniture in Colwyn Bay.

The hooker’s 49 appearances across all competitions for Crusaders included 19 in last year’s League 1 title-winning campaign.

But with the Welsh side now in a dire financial situation, like many of his team-mates, he has opted to head to pastures new in the shape of Salford.

Salford RLFC snap up former Wigan Warriors youngster Joe Baldwin in cross-Championship deal

Baldwin’s senior career to date has produced ten tries, including three across the ten games he played for Crusaders this season.

He joins Salford in the same week as team-mate Cole Oakley, a product of Warrington Wolves’ youth system who has also swapped the Eirias Stadium for the CorpArq Stadium.

While Oakley has penned a deal until the end of 2028, Baldwin’s initial deal with the Reds runs for a year-and-a-half until the end of next season.

Both Baldwin and Oakley could make their debuts for Salford this weekend, with interim head coach Dave Hewitt taking his side to Sheffield Eagles.

Hewitt has so far led the Reds to two wins in his four games at the helm as interim following Mike Grady’s departure.

The phoenix club have now won three of their nine Championship games this term, and now have just their league campaign to focus on having been knocked out of the 1895 Cup in the First Round by Doncaster last weekend.

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