I'm looking forward to next season. Last year Harris was our best signing and I trust his and Watto's judgement. Still think we need a hooker and a class centre but it seems our recruitment is over. Wise business by marwan getting locke in early and give him time to adjust. Think we've strengthen all over the park and keeping Hock is a big plus. Think with a good pre season think we will make top 6. Happy we've done our business early and it seems astute(although not excited about this young Aussie prop). Bring on 2015, just need marwan to rally the fans like last time. Feel we could hold onto them next year!

well looking at the best salford 17 thread,I've got to say its looking pretty strong.Im looking forward to see how Forster, Groat & Hood do as their previous clubs think they are brilliant players. if we start well then i can see us being in the top 5 but overall i think maybe 6th-7th place

Was about to say you missed my point, but realised auto correct had changed props to pros. So are our props too inexperienced?

I think there was more 'experience' throughout the team last season, yet they played like headless chickens sometimes. I don't think it'll be a case of 'too many cooks' this coming season so long as they realise that Michael Dobson is Michel Roux jr.

I don't think so. Morley, Puletua and Griffin will all still be there, and there's plenty of experience in the rest of the team. I also think we tend to put too much emphasis on 'experience' sometimes. It was Nobby's downfall to some extent. I'd prefer to see a younger team that grows and develops together rather than a team that is chopping and changing every year as those experienced players retire.

Having said that, Marwan was on Twitter a couple of weeks ago pondering about making one more signing, preferably a prop. A player (I think it was Garreth Carvell, but wouldn't swear to it) suggested looking in the lower divisions.

The lower leagues or making use of the cap exemption if you bring in a player from RU, I remember how good David Young was.

Experienced or Good?
No unless Harris can bring in an experienced prop of a proven quality there's no point.

in 2013 we sent one of our NRL forward signings home as the forwards rising from our own Academy were out performing him.

In 2014 we let two of NRL forward signings go home mid season. as I guess we needed the non fed quota space to bring in talent in more key positions - and they were ' dispensable ' .

In 2013 Adam Walne was Salfords best forward as regards metres per carry , he had an injury hit season in 2014 , so having him back fit for 2015 will be like a new signing , then we have Tasi, Griffin , Puletua, then the new signings :- Groat , Menzies & Forster.
Harris can also call on Hock & Jordan Walne to do a shift at prop , and then there's Morley.
so I count 10
just who is out there to call on anyway ?

Totally agree, we have more than enough cover right across the pack with the possible exception of hooker it is the backs where we seem too be missing one or two players. Evalds can cover on the flanks and at full back and then there is Griffin/MCB seemingly both looking for the same starting spot but after that there is very little cover and I think Walton is wasted when played in the centre.

Locke,
BJB,
Sa'u,
MCB,
Johnson,
Griffin,
Walton,
Ford?

That list seems very low on numbers.

Need to get buying ST's. The Dr isn't happy :- www.totalrl.com/koukash-disappoi ... ket-sales/

Need to get buying ST's. The Dr isn't happy :- www.totalrl.com/koukash-disappoi ... ket-sales/

When will he learn, Salford will not attract many more season ticket holders until they have a decent season. You can have all the names you want, but it means nothing if the team don't perform and are on the end of too many hammerings.

He should keep his mouth shut and put all his energy into ensuring the team get off to a flying start and finish in the top 8. The season ticket sales will soon follow.

I haven't bought mine yet. I wouldn't be too worried about it until January.

This is the only thing that annoys me about the Dr. I'm sure we're not the only club to sell less than a thousand at the moment and you don't see other chairman going on social media bragging about it. We have 3 months left yet and I'm pretty certain most season ticket are sold towards Christmas time. He said the fans should be there with the big names we have at the club. I'm sure he said the same last season and look what happened. It's common sense, start the season of well and people will come through the gate.

[url=http://reddevils.questionpro.com/Match Day Experience Survey[/url

Just seen this on Facebook.

Seems the Doc wants our input.

Isn't that what the 'Fans Board' is for though?

Agreed - these outbursts are counter productive ,

some Facts ~
-We finished 10th
- our last 3 signings played for Whitehaven-Swinton & Hunslet.
- This years Season Ticket was launched with a deal to attend the end of seasons players Gala, which our owner subsequently cancelled...
-there are still over three months to the new season
-the club has done less this season to promote -Last season, We heavily promoted ticket sales , including roadshows throughout Nov. this year I don't believe they even done a mailshot yet to their our own fans data base ?
- Last Season there were multi-ticket packages available - non so far for next season

I could go on . and on .
The clubs hardcore fan base will turn up & buy because they actively search out club info on social media , but the commercial side of the business will have to work even harder than last season to attract season ticket sales, ( or gameday ticket sales ) outside the hardcore .
All this publicity does is get the back up loyal fans & make us look poor to casual on lookers ..

Re Matchday Experience: "We will be discussing this matter in greater detail with our Fans Board in the next couple of week but it would be helpful to hear from our wider group of fans about what they feel about the current experience and how it might improve going forward."
It will be for the board

I think you've all missed Koukash's point in regards to season tickets. Of course we're going to sell a lot more between now and February, he's clever enough to know this. What he is unhappy with though is the fact that season ticket sales are SIGNIFICANTLY down compared to the same time last year. This is disappointing but as I've seen someone else say to me on here (can't remember who, sorry!), you only really get one big chance at a relaunch. The apathetic fans who were used to Salford being the whipping boys might have bought season tickets last year in the hope of seeing Salford win things after Koukash's promises of big success and silverware. Sadly these same fans will now have realised that all the talk was a novelty after our (lets be honest) spectacular failure of a season last year. They wont be lured in by promises of success anymore and the false idea that the club can buy success. There are other reasons as well though, our marketing is very poor and our effort in the schools and community has been non existent but the fact is we seem to have blown the chance of a big "relaunch" and new era for the club. At the end of the day its a business, and Salford isn't making the Doc much profit at the minute. If I was him and it was MY money I'd be disappointed as well and I'd certainly reconsider my plans like most people would if they were in the same boat as Koukash.

Don't get me wrong, I think we'll be better next season and we'll certainly improve but I dont think we'll sell as many season tickets for this season as we did for last. i'm a believer in supporting your team regardless and no excuses, but a lot of our fans aren't and you have to see it from their point of view.

Middleman - I agree 100%

Dr K's latest tweet

"When the clubs' accounts are published , fans will see how committed I am to their club.
Fans need to get behind the team with no excuses"

Does anyone really believe that comments like that will make a difference?

Dr K - we know and appreciate your commitment, we know that if you had not bought the club we would no longer be in SuperLeague.
There are a hard core of fans who will support the club forever, but the task is to find the lapsed fans and convert new ones - that will take time and will need more than anything a winning team.

The razzamatzz launch last year was great, but the performances fell flat and that has disillusioned a lot of people

You can't just keep issuing tweets that sound like thinly disguised threats and expect people to do your bidding - deliver the product on the field and the fans WILL come

That’s how simple it is. Surely after last season he has learnt this? We’ve seen enough evidence to suggest interest is there, but people will not waste money watching a Salford team get hammered week after week.

Bingo.

No.

Said accounts are overdue too according to Companies House.



As always, this is the thing.

Honest question.
Are any of the Top Teir SL clubs up on their season ticket sales ?


Of the Clubs only Leeds are intimating high demand for season passes , and they have a target of 10K, but for me they have probably the best commercial operation , and have had the benefit of a decade of success to grow their fan base .

Of the rest all are still pushing their fan base with early bird deals & trying to explain the new league game format.non are being ' bullish ' on take up.

some clubs , Wigan included have only just released Season Pass info & payment plans ( 3rd november ) .

with the last three / four home games unknown i'm wondering whether it has put a huge question mark on fans whether to buy or not ?

For me I'm baffled with the club , after the seeming success of last years initial 3-match - multi match offers , half season , or pick 6 -8 match deals would be the obvious tactic , for reticent fans or fans uncertain whether they could attend all 13/14 home games .

I'm hoping that more fans will come through as performances/results get better. It is a hope and at the moment is the standard fallback for all Salford fans, myself included. What will we say if we start winning and the fans still don't turn up in significant numbers? Bit like Hudds.

I hope it doesn't come to that as I think it would be the straw that broke the camel's back with MK.

Season tickets will be harder to shift this coming season for Clubs such as ourselves, where our finishing position can't be predicted with any accuracy or optimism. Plus the new format is an unknown at the moment and people may hold off season tickets until they see how the back end of the season pans out and whether it represents a worthwhile investment for the following season.

If we have a successful season in 2015 and were still in the same position with poor ST sales, then I will understand Marwan's disappointed. But I don't think that will happen, we've seen more than enough evidence in the past that the interest in Salford is there. Our attendances were really encouraging at the start of 2014, however a few beatings off the bigger clubs and these slowly dwindled back down the hardcore base.

When the team get it right on the pitch, the fans really will come back. I see no reason why a competitive Salford team cannot attract attendances of 7k minimum.

Cas Tigers are 30% up from the same time last season.

You would have to be disappointed with anything but after the 2014 success.