Tigers the blueprint Red Devils can follow this season
CASTLEFORD’S progress over the past three or four years has been remarkable and is marred only by the fact the club has yet to reach a final.
The most consistent team in Super League over the past two seasons, the Tigers represent something of a blueprint for Salford to follow.
Daryl Powell has built a strong reputation for singling out players underappreciated at other clubs and developing their talents.
The same description could be applied to Ian Watson and though his side’s development has been hindered by off-field issues over the last two years, the Red Devils boss believes it is now time his players accept they deserve to be feared.
“We’ve got to believe we’re a good team – we’re showing it now,” insisted Watson following Salford’s narrow 24-20 defeat at Castleford.
“I know we’re quite a young team, but we’ve got to have some more belief about ourselves that we can come to Castleford and win.
“We maybe just didn’t start the game like that and it put them on the front foot. They started playing like a top team does, putting you under pressure on your goalline and getting repeat sets.
“Once we kind of got the game in the balance a little bit, we started to control that and we started to get on the front foot and we started dictating field position.
“It’s our own fault that we lost that game.”
“We can show we’re a serious team to be contenders to be fair. I think if we go about the game how we do in parts and we piece that together, we’ll be a top team.”