The Kall to arms
SALFORD STAR: OUR TIME FOR TROPHIES
Castleford
Tomorrow, 3.30pm BY
KALLUM WATKINS has urged Salford to throw down the gauntlet tomorrow to give the club the credit he feels they deserve.
The Red Devils have shocked Super League this season with their brand of exciting attacking style.
But Watkins believes it is time his boyhood club started taking success and plaudits as a given, rather than a rarity.
The 31-year-old centre-turned-back rower said: “We want to lift trophies and I think this club deserve it.
“They have been through a lot and started to get close to it.
“For us, it is about believing and showing character through tough periods.”
Salford lie sixth, level on points with seventhplaced Castleford but with a much better points difference.
Victory today will severely dent the Tigers’ play-off hopes, with one more game remaining, and will see them leapfrog Leeds if the Rhinos lose at Catalans.
But Red Devils boss Paul Rowley (above) has warned his players not to bog themselves down in thinking about the different scenarios.
He said: “You can really waste a lot of emotional energy looking at what other people are doing and investing energy in wanting another team to win.
“We are not bothered about anyone else. We do not want any favours. We’re not emotionally invested in anyone but our group.
“It’s a huge game on Monday, we cannot get away from that. But we are excited about it and looking forward to a big occasion. These games and play off games are not always pretty and they are a stressful situation.
“But the calmest people are the players and our players have got plenty of belief and character.”
Salford have won six of their last seven games, whereas Castleford are hanging on to their playoff hopes by their finger nails after losing three of their last five.
But the difficulties of playing two games in four days, with another fixture looming later in the week, could be a huge leveller. Watkins, who won six Super League titles with Leeds, said: “It is a difficult situation playing these games back to back.
“But Monday is the best opportunity to set in stone where we want to go – as a club competing for trophies. We’ve got to go there really confident.”
Salford struggled at times to overcome Hull on Thursday, eventually winning 28-18, while Castleford needed a drop goal winner in their 19-18 battle at Warrington.
Rowley gave his players two days off, believing this weekend could play a vital part in how the two sides cope with tomorrow’s clash.
He added: “Physically there is nothing we can do to prepare for Castleford and, never once, have I felt there is any mental fatigue.”
Tigers coach Lee Radford (left) said: “We need to be better to beat Salford and to box cleverer with the ball than we did against Warrington.”
His squad have lost Kenny Edwards and Gareth O’Brien following the Warrington win, with a head injury and knee injury, respectively.