SL Preview: Salford v Hull (Fri)

Salford begin life without Gareth O’Brien at home to Hull on Friday night.

The full-back moved to Toronto Wolfpack this week having been withdrawn from the squad that lost to Castleford last Sunday.

The Red Devils have won just two of their last 16 games and supporters will want to see a response from their players amidst rumours of potentially further exits.

Hull themselves have had to deal with a player departure this week, prop Liam Watts leaving for Castleford, though he would have missed this one through suspension anyway.

Former Salford trio Josh Griffin, Marc Sneyd and Scott Taylor are all in Lee Radford’s 19-man squad, as is Josh Bowden.

Sika Manu is missing with a calf injury but Masi Matongo and Carlos Tuimavave are included at the end of a week where both signed new deals to commit their futures to the Airlie Birds.

Super League summary

Salford won 9
Hull FC won 32
Salford highest score: 54-18 (A, 2017) (also widest margin)
Hull FC highest score: 82-6 (H, 2004) (also widest margin)

Salford 19-man squad: Johnson, Welham, Sa’u, Evalds, Lui, Littlejohn, Kopczak, Tomkins, Jones, Hauraki, Flanagan, Tasi, Burgess, McCarthy, Nakubuwai, Wood, Olpherts, Mossop, Bibby.

Hull 19-man squad: Shaul, Faraimo, Tuimavave, Griffin, Talanoa, Sneyd, Taylor, Hadley, Minichiello, Bowden, Connor, Green, Abdull, Washbrook, Fash, Logan, Turgut, Lane, Matongo.