Salford Red Devils coach delivers brutal assessment of RFL’s player welfare approach amid Chris Hill comments

Salford assistant Krisnan Inu says he could count on one hand the number of times the RFL have visited the Red Devils and checked on the welfare of those most affected by the club’s ongoing financial crisis.

The Red Devils have been going through the mill since last November, and today (Wednesday) are appearing at the High Court to address the winding-up petition they have been served by HMRC (His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs).

With everything going on off the field in chaotic fashion, the result on the field has been one of horror.

After finishing 4th in Super League last term, Paul Rowley’s squad has been ripped apart with players sold for much-needed transfer fees, youngsters and loanees have been drafted in consistently, and 53 different players have already taken to the field in 2025.

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Salford Red Devils coach delivers brutal assessment of RFL’s player welfare approach amid Chris Hill comments

Veteran forward Chris Hill joined the club ahead of the 2025 campaign, and – just like the rest of his team-mates – enters every month not knowing when or even if he will be paid the wages he is owed.

In an interview with The Sun, the prop has described the player welfare received from outside of the club as ‘atrocious’, insisting he and his colleagues don’t even know who they should feed back to externally about the pressures they are under, both physically and mentally.

Conducting the Red Devils’ pre-match press conference on Wednesday afternoon ahead of this weekend’s trip to St Helens, assistant Inu backed up those claims.

He said: “If I was to tick a box every time they (the RFL) came in, I could probably do it on one hand.

“You take it from there, and (consider) whether that’s enough, especially for the boys and the staff in the position we’ve been in.

“I think our welfare has been awesome in-house. Chris O’Connor’s been good for us and he’s made sure he’s done his job as well as the job of the RFL on top of player welfare. He’s been a big plus.”

Inu, now 38, enjoyed a three-season stint at Salford during his playing days which included runs to both a Super League Grand Final and a Challenge Cup final.

Lauding O’Connor, he continued: “Chris does all the professional stuff that his job requires. He makes the phone calls and always does all of the regular checks on players, whether they’re injured or not.

“But especially with the injured players, it’s a bit lonely when it comes to rehab when you’re in that room trying to grind away to get back on that field.

“He’s been awesome with everyone, whether they’re playing or not.”

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