The Verdict: Salford Red Devils saga reaches new low despite avoiding Challenge Cup upset

Salford Red Devils’ saga reached a new low as they played over an hour with a squad of just 15 players, but avoided a shock Challenge Cup exit at the hands of Championship side Bradford Bulls on Friday night.

The RFL had granted the Red Devils special dispensation to make a change to the 17-man squad they had submitted on Wednesday lunchtime following the sale of Marc Sneyd to fellow Super League outfit Warrington Wolves.

But with interest growing in Nene Macdonald, the star centre was also withdrawn from that squad. Ethan Ryan and Jayden Nikorima were drafted in as replacements, but that cost head coach Paul Rowley an interchange opportunity for the cup tie.

And despite Rowley naming a complete 17-man squad contrary to reports elsewhere earlier in the week, all was not as it seemed.

That 17 was never a possibility, with veteran forward Joe Bullock unable to take to the field having been carrying a knock in the lead-up to the Fourth Round clash.

The Verdict: Salford Red Devils saga reaches new low despite avoiding Challenge Cup upset

Starting with just three interchanges, Salford’s squad was reduced to 15 just ten minutes in as Chris Hankinson was forced off immediately after team-mate Esan Marsters had opened the scoring.

Hankinson never returned, and to make matters worse, for the ten minutes up to the half-hour mark, Salford were down to 12 on-field as Ryan Brierley was sin-binned having held Bradford full-back Luke Hooley down following his lung-busting 80-metre break towards the Red Devils try-line.

Finding themselves 10-6 down at the break, Salford twice bravely battled back and eventually hit the front foot for good once Nikorima had danced his way over the try-line just after the hour-mark.

Ryan, the other man who had been drafted into Rowley’s 17 late on, also fell over the line with six minutes remaining to make sure of the win – with 26-16 the final score.

But to emphasise how concerning the situation is for Salford, young prop Charlie McCurrie only entered the action for the first time after that match-sealing try had been scored.

Effectively, not to discredit McCurrie, it was a squad of 14 which got the job done and booked the Red Devils’ spot in the hat for Monday’s quarter-final draw.

Rowley’s hands are tied. His players are being asked to do more than they should ever have to, and the fact of the matter is that there’s no end in sight to this.

The question now is: will Salford still be around to take part in those Challenge Cup quarter-finals come the first weekend of April?

The fact it’s been a possibility that won’t be the case sums up just how bleak the situation is right now in M30.