Salford Red Devils star drops hint on future amid brutally honest ‘mental wellbeing’ admission

Salford vice-captain Ryan Brierley has hinted he may have to leave the club if their plight continues, confirming that the Red Devils’ players were threatened with a £2,000 fine ahead of their game at Wigan Warriors.

All hasn’t been well at Salford for a long time, and last November, huge financial problems were revealed.

A takeover from a Swiss Consortium eventually went through at the back end of February, but since then, both February and March’s wages were received late.

February’s payments were delayed by around a week, with the RFL forced to step in to ensure they were eventually entirely fulfilled. Then, last week, March’s wages were put into the players’ banks 24 hours late.

Salford Red Devils star drops hint on future amid brutally honest ‘mental wellbeing’ admission

Some players refused to train, while a couple in club captain Kallum Watkins and long-time servant Chris Atkin are believed to have refused to play in Sunday’s game at Wigan Warriors – which the Red Devils lost 54-0.

Scotland international Brierley, a boyhood Salford fan who has been donning their shirt since the start of 2023, captained a side which included a wealth of youngsters.

And after that game, he spoke to the BBC, confirming reports which had circulated surrounding a meeting being held earlier in the week in which the players had been threatened with a £2,000 fine if they didn’t take to the field.

The full-back said: “We’ve all got contractual agreements, when we’re fit and healthy, to perform to the best of our ability.

“At the time of that meeting, we weren’t paid. The club’s stance was that if we were paid, we must be able to field a team and put our best foot forward.

“If we didn’t do that there would be repercussions and consequences, I suppose like there would be in any team.

“It’s a really sensitive topic for us because of what we’ve been through over the last six months.

“It was a sensitive issue but ultimately there are people at the club who have got to protect the club, and players want to protect themselves and their families so it’s a really touchy and awkward scenario.”

‘Seeing players’ mental wellbeing deteriorate in front of your eyes is certainly not nice’

The Red Devils remain under an RFL-imposed Sustainability Cap as things stand. Due to that, Papua New Guinean centre Nene Macdonald, new recruit Sam Davis and veteran utility Ben Hellewell all aren’t allowed to play.

To try and aid their financial state, the club have also already sold star half-back Marc Sneyd to Warrington Wolves and experienced prop Brad Singleton to Castleford Tigers, while overseas ace Tim Lafai has been allowed to return Down Under.

Brierley detailed the mental hardship that the dire situation has brought over the last six months or so, and opened up on where his own future might lie.

He explained: “It’s obviously been tough. When you see your friends and close team-mates struggling, it’s not nice.

“Seeing players’ mental wellbeing deteriorate in front of your eyes is certainly not nice. It’s been a long process with a lot of us just hoping that there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

“You’d be foolish to ignore all the talk and the issues around the club, so my agent will be doing his best to make sure my best interests are at heart and he looks after my priorities.

“Ultimately, while I’m contracted to Salford Red Devils and keep getting paid to be a professional rugby league player, I’ll always put my best foot forward and put my hand up to play for this club.

“Those conversations will be ongoing over the next couple of days or weeks going forward, but whilst I’m still contracted, I’ve still got a job to do.”

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