Jon Wilkin blasts Salford Red Devils for ‘letting competition down’ after pay issue

Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin has blasted Salford Red Devils following the pay controversy, claiming they have ‘let the competition down’. 

Earlier this week, reports emerged that the Red Devils – who have suffered serious financial issues in the past few months – had not paid their players, and the club had once again been put under special measures by the RFL.

The club have now paid their players, but remain under special measures and have only named a bare 17-man squad for their fixture against Castleford Tigers tonight.

Jon Wilkin blasts Salford Red Devils

As a result of the pay controversy, the Red Devils have been on the received some serious backlash, and now former St Helens and England man Wilkin has added fuel to the fire, claiming they’ve let the competition down.

“2025 has had such a fantastic start all the way from round one, the competition has delivered; but Salford have let the competition down,” he said on Sky Sports.

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“They’ve started the competition from a weakened position, they knew their cash position and it’s just rumbled on. It’s boring, it’s just boring to watch. It belittles our sport and makes it look small and I just think it’s a bad situation.”

“Let’s just get past it.”

This is the second time in just four weeks that the Red Devils have been forced to deploy a rotated side, with Paul Rowley deploying a squad of reserve players for their opening fixture – which was aired live on the BBC.

Whilst they haven’t had to go that far tonight, it is still a weakened Salford Red Devils side that will take to the pitch against the Fords this evening with just a bare 17 named. They are also without star men Tim Lafai and Jayden Nikorima amongst others.

Rowley’s side have lost all three of their opening Super League games this season, and sit bottom of the table on a points difference of -156.

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