Salford Red Devils’ star-studded line-up for 2025 if rumoured targets sign is seriously outrageous
From left to right: Jayden Nikorima, Esan Marsters and Joe Shorrocks will all star in Salford Red Devils' 2025 line-up
Salford Red Devils have been one of the quieter clubs in Super League where recruitment for 2025 is concerned, confirming just one new arrival ahead of next season so far.
That arrival is versatile back Esan Marsters from fellow Super League outfit Huddersfield Giants, who has penned a three-year deal at the Salford Community Stadium starting in 2025.
On the flip side of that, only two current Salford stars have seen their exits from the club at the end of this year confirmed, with young hooker Amir Bourouh heading to Hull FC and Ollie Partington making the move to Catalans Dragons.
Elsewhere, off-contract back Cade Cust is expected to join Hull – but that hasn’t been formally announced just yet.
Three other Red Devils players currently remain off-contract in the shape of Adam Sidlow, Andrew Dixon and Matty Foster, with Gil Dudson’s loan set to expire come the end of the 2024 campaign.
Accordingly, with all of that in mind, we’ve put together this potential Salford line-up for 2025 as things stand…
MORE 2025 LINE-UPS:
St Helens, including recently signed NRL star Tristan Sailor
Wakefield Trinity, with Super League talent aplenty
Hull FC, including heavy Leigh Leopards presence
Leigh Leopards, including positional change for Papua New Guinean
Hull KR, including NRL legend Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
Catalans Dragons, with NRL talent aplenty
1. Ryan Brierley
Boyhood Salford fan Brierley, 32, has become an integral part of Paul Rowley’s squad and side since joining the club in 2022, scoring 29 tries in 72 appearances.
Under contract until the end of 2026, there’s no doubt the nine-time Scotland international will remain the Red Devils’ first-choice full-back next year.
2. Ethan Ryan
Five-time Ireland international Ryan has only scored four tries in his first 17 appearances for Salford since joining them in the off-season just gone, but he’s started to find his feet more in recent weeks and is moulding into a winger that is a perfect fit for Rowley’s side.
The 28-year-old’s contract at the Salford Community Stadium runs until the end of the 2026 season.
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3. Nene Macdonald
Macdonald is one of the star men in this Salford side. He’s simply excelled since his arrival in Greater Manchester ahead of this season, scoring nine tries in 19 Super League appearances and making the second-most metres of anyone in the competition.
The Papua New Guinean centre turned 30 in May but seems to be aging like a fine wine, and has played a huge part in the success that the Red Devils have tasted to this point in 2024. He’s tied down until the end of 2027.
4. Tim Lafai
33-year-old Lafai remains off-contract, but as we understand it, Salford are doing all that they can to keep him around. And why wouldn’t they?! Since the Samoa international arrived in 2022, he’s been nothing short of exceptional.
With six tries in 17 games across all competitions so far this season, the veteran is closing in on the milestone of 250 club career appearances. He’ll undoubtedly hit that if he goes around again for the Red Devils, and we’re certainly hoping he does so!
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5. Deon Cross
Cross, in our opinion, is one of Super League’s most underrated wingers. With Salford since 2022, the St Helens native has scored 10 tries in 22 appearances across all competitions so far this season.
That’s not a poor return by any means, but the one-time England Knights international causes more havoc for opposition defences than those statistics seem to suggest. The Red Devils have Cross, 28, tied down until the end of 2025 with the option of a further year’s extension in the club’s favour.
6. Esan Marsters
We’ve already mentioned him in the intro to this article, but 27-year-old Marsters is Salford’s only confirmed addition ahead of 2025 to date. The Cook Islands and New Zealand international has largely starred at centre for the Giants, but if the Red Devils can retain Lafai, we’re tipping him for a move into the halves when he arrives at the Salford Community Stadium.
It’s not a position Marsters is entirely unfamiliar with having slotted in there on occasion for the Giants during games and played there for the Cook Islands from the off in the delayed 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
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7. Marc Sneyd
Whoever is playing at 6 for Salford next year will undoubtedly be partnering two-time England international Sneyd, the man who makes everything tick for Rowley’s side.
An absolute menace with the boot both in-game and from the kicking tee, the 33-year-old has scored close to 600 points since his return to the club in 2022. Earlier this year, Salford tied their playmaker down with a new two-year deal which runs until the end of the 2026 season.
8. Brad Singleton
Singleton, who will turn 32 in October, is under contract at the Salford Community Stadium until the end of next season. Whether he sticks around beyond that remains to be seen, but you’d image that come 2025, he’ll still be a regular presence in the Red Devils’ side.
The three-time Ireland international had his 2023 hampered by injury after arriving at Salford from Wigan midway through the campaign, but has made 16 appearances so far this term. He’s now just six off the milestone of 300 senior career games.
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9. Jayden Nikorima
Here’s our second (and final) positional switch. If Lafai is retained and Marsters moves into the halves, 27-year-old Nikorima – who is contracted until the end of next season – could well fit into Rowley’s 2025 line-up in the 9 spot which hasn’t had a permanent occupier this year.
When Salford picked the Kiwi native up last month following his release from Catalans, we’re not sure they’d have envisaged him as a hooker. But having slotted in there for the Dragons in-game at times this season, there’s no reason he couldn’t make that switch on a more permanent basis.
10. Jack Ormondroyd
Starting 11 games across all competitions, 32-year-old Ormondroyd had started this season well, but was ruled out for the remainder of the season in early May with a rib injury.
Nonetheless, he’s under contract until the end of 2025 and will return to the field next year. The Birmingham-born forward is just 14 appearances off the milestone of 100 in Salford colours.
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11. Sam Stone
Back-rower Stone was an instant hit in the British game when he joined Leigh – then Centurions – in 2021, and he’s continued on an upward trajectory since joining Salford ahead of last season. The two-time Malta international, born in Queensland, has now made 44 appearances for Rowley’s side, including 19 across all competitions so far this term.
The Red Devils tied the 27-year-old down with a new two-year deal in June, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2026 season. Whatever recruitment they do from here on in, Stone’s retention will be one of the best bits of business done by Salford.
12. Kallum Watkins
Salford were quick to quash reports that 33-year-old Watkins could be on his way back to Leeds Rhinos come 2025, and it’s no surprise. Appointed the Red Devils captain ahead of last season, the ex-Gold Coast Titans ace continues to be one of the best back-rowers in Super League, yet to miss a game this season across any competition.
The 30-time England international is contracted at the Salford Community Stadium until the end of next season, and you’d imagine that he’ll tick past the remarkable milestone of 400 career appearances in 2025.
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13. Joe Shorrocks
Shorrocks joined Salford from Wigan ahead of this season, and just as he was for the Warriors, he’s proven somewhat of a utility man for the Red Devils. Across all competitions so far this season, the 24-year-old has started six games at loose, five at hooker, and made a further 10 appearances off the bench.
For us though, come 2025, he has a real chance to establish himself as THE number 13 for Rowley’s side once long-time pal and team-mate Ollie Partington makes the move to Catalans. Shorrocks’ contract at Salford runs until the end of 2026.
