Huddersfield v Salford.

I didn’t really know where to start this week’s preview. I sat down three nights running after work but couldn’t think of what I wanted to say. Last week we saw the HMRC adjournment which has on a positive note allowed us to complete are remaining games. Looking at the bigger and darker picture though we are drastically running out of time. 

On Wednesday morning a very serious and detailed article was written in the tabloid press by Rugby League Journalist Gary Carter. I won’t go into that too much this week I’ll let you read and make your own judgment. 

It doesn’t paint our ownership in a good light at all. It highlights even more the catalogue of errors and complete lack of accountability shown towards Salford RLFC by people that should have done more to protect it. How did all this get agreed and signed off with the necessary checks? Why wasn’t anything done back in the spring when there were rumblings of discontent from the players. For me far too many people have buried their heads in the sand hoping something mythical would happen. We were told the owners smell nice which I thought was a ridiculous statement from Krisnan Inu who is part of our coaching staff. Inu has defended the ‘owners’ on occasions but I am not sure how he can continue with that stance now. A lot of questions need answering in my opinion. I’ve never been one for calling people out or getting personal because it’s not my style. That said though our club is on its knees and the really sad thing is that supporters like you and me are very limited in what we can do. 

The endless hours fretting and worrying over the club that means so much to us has made 2025 so difficult to stomach.

I was reading the excitement at other local clubs like Oldham, Rochdale Hornets and Swinton. They are all planning for 2026 and beyond. For me that’s the biggest thing that plays on my mind. The not knowing what will happen when the curtain comes down on our season after the Wakefield game on the 19th September.

Kurt Haggerty moving on was very disappointing and I real feel for Kurt who is a brilliant Rugby League man with a ton of knowledge. His departure should be ringing alarm bells. 

Our opponents Huddersfield have had another tough season. Lots of injuries have hampered their chances but young coach Luke Robinson has the backing of chairman Ken Davy. I’ve never had chance to have a conversation with Mr Davy but I’ve said hello to him at the matches in passing. I’ve got a lot of time for him. He’s put lots of money and time into Rugby League in Huddersfield. The Giants are a club steeped in history and I must admit this is one of my favourite away trips. 

Like Salford, Huddersfield get plenty of grief over attendances and what they bring to Super League. I hate that snobbish attitude that people trump out. I hope Huddersfield get their ground situation sorted and prosper in the top flight. It would be nice if they could build a new ground on the old Fartown site. The pitch is still there and if you are up that way in West Yorkshire it’s well worth a nostalgic stroll round the pitch. 

Since Huddersfield were promoted to Super League at the end of the 1997 season they’ve been relegated just once at the end of 2001. They bounced back in 2002 under then coach Tony Smith and since then they managed to consolidate and have a reasonable amount of success. Salford have always done pretty well in this fixture and between 2014 and 2021 we went unbeaten here for eight consecutive matches. Both those matches were pretty special. 2014 was the debut of Kevin Locke and what a magical afternoon that was. In 2021 Richard Marshall was our coat and his side beat the Giants who were then coached by former Salford boss Ian Watson 8-9 in a very controversial game. Remember the red card incident and the case of mistaken identity?

Over the years this fixture has produced some cracking matches and I am sure this Sunday will be no different. 

Super League away record.

Huddersfield 13

Draw 0

Salford 16

1998 Huddersfield 12 Salford 16

1999 Huddersfield 24 Salford 10

2000 Huddersfield/Sheffield 10 Salford 18

2001 Huddersfield 24 Salford 32

2001 Huddersfield 35 Salford 14

2004 Huddersfield 26 Salford 14

2004 Huddersfield 28 Salford 22

2005 Huddersfield 26 Salford 10

2006 Huddersfield 32 Salford 18

2006 Huddersfield 24 Salford 18

2007 Huddersfield 16 Salford 18

2009 Huddersfield 4 Salford 24

2010 Huddersfield 52 Salford 4

2011 Huddersfield 52 Salford 22

2012 Huddersfield 36 Salford 10

2013 Huddersfield 46 Salford 4

2014 Huddersfield 10 Salford 36

2015 Huddersfield 12 Salford 18

2016 Huddersfield 24 Salford 26

2017 Huddersfield 20 Salford 30

2018 Huddersfield 12 Salford 30

2019 Huddersfield 14 Salford 34

2020 Huddersfield 16 Salford 24

2021 Huddersfield 8 Salford 9

2022 Huddersfield 34 Salford 2

2022 Huddersfield 0 Salford 28 (play off match)

2023 Huddersfield 8 Salford 32

2024 Huddersfield 16 Salford 18

2024 Huddersfield 16 Salford 8

They played for both.

Steve Kerry, Danny Arnold, Greg Austin, David Bradbury, Jodie Broughton, Ryan Clayton, Gavin Clinch, Greg Eden, Simon Finnigan, Matt Gardner, Lee Gaskell, Martin Gleeson, Bobbie Goulding, Darrel Griffin, Josh Griffin, Neil Harmon, David Hodgson, Graham Holroyd, Andy Johnson, Phil Joseph, Craig Kopzack, Michael korkidas, Tommy Lee, Martin Moana, Chris Nero, Robbie Paul, Luke Robinson, Jordan Turner, Adam Walne, Paul White,Stephen Wild, Luke Yates, Theo Fages, Jake Bibby, Harvey Livett, Josh Jones, Niall Evalds and Tui Lolohea.

A MATCH TO REMEMBER 5TH JULY 2014.

Huddersfield 10 Salford 36

Salford overcame the dismissal of Lama Tasi for a late tackle on Danny Brough to record their best win of a mostly troubled season. In the glorious Yorkshire sunshine Kevin Locke made his eagerly anticipated debut. The New Zealander lived up to the expectations with a thrilling display. Salford’s speed was there for all to see as they tore the Giants apart down the flanks with Locke and Mason Caton Brown scoring long range tries.

Lama Tasi was shown a red card on the hour mark for a Challenge on Danny Brough. Salford were leading 4-18 at this stage.

Despite being down to twelve men it was a wonderful day for us running in three more tries from Greg Johnson, Theo Fages and Kevin Locke.

Going in to this game Huddersfield had won 9 out of there last 10 matches. This was a day where everything clicked for Iestyn Harris’s Salford side and the travelling supporters certainly had a new hero in Locke.

For one reason or another Locke’s time at Salford didn’t really work out. Injury problems seemed to scupper his progress. In the end he left and went to Wakefield but sadly it ended in strange circumstances there too.

The teams that day:

Huddersfield; Grix, McGilvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, Broughton, Brough, Wood, Kopzack, Robinson, Johnson, Ferres, Ta’ai, Lawrence.

Subs, Crabtree, Bailey, Patrick, Faiumu.

Salford; Locke, Johnson, Sa’u, Caton-Brown, Josh Griffin, Chase, Fages, Morley, Lee, Tasi, Ashurst, Jordan Walne, Puletua.

Subs, Rapira, Walton, Darrell Griffin, Niall Evalds.

Attendance, 5,681.

Referee, Robert Hicks.

Sunday’s match.

As I mentioned in the opening paragraph it’s been a very difficult season for Huddersfield. At times though they’ve showed real glimpses of brilliance and come up with some really good results. Two away victories at Castleford and Hull Fc in July followed by wins over Catalans and Warrington at home in August showed a massive improvement. The Giants have dipped again over the last fortnight and failed to score a try in their last two matches, a 48-2 loss to Wakefield and a 0-26 defeat to Leeds. 

One player who’s really shone in 2025 for the claret and golds is George Flanagan Junior. A prolific try scorer and goal kicker this season, he’s really led the way. George Junior played alongside his dad George senior for Bradford Bulls in 2022. They also played against each other last season when keighley played Hunslet, George Junior spent time on loan at Hunslet Hawks. Fancy playing against your dad! Not many players can say that. 

Salford will be without Loghan Lewis who picked up a ban from last week’s match. At first the ban was three matches but this got reduced to one after the club appealed. 

Our loan rangers who continue to impress week after week will no doubt play a big part in the twenty one man squad. Neil Tchamambe and Jack Darbyshire have formed a solid and productive partnership scoring four tries between them in recent weeks. 

Rowan Milnes is expected to partner Joe Mellor in the halves and I’d like to see Kai Morgan get another chance in the team. Morgan has not featured for a while now but was the 18th man last Thursday.

Safe travels and enjoy the match.

The action gets under way at 3pm.

Paul Whiteside. 

Big thanks to Steve McCormick for the photos and the Salford match day programme.