Can't believe people are grumbling about last night. We've had the off-season from hell, we've got half a squad and the game wasn't certain to take place until a day before. The players looked unfit because they are inferior to the Wigan players and had to do twice as much work to stay in the game.

Even if the players are unfit there is a pretty unique set of circumstances behind it. Unrealistic to think with all that has happened that we've had anything like a normal preparation to the season. It's valid to question PV for picking Murphy over Evalds but don't get on the kids back after one match.

I'm just glad we've got a team to watch.

I would suggest too that the likes of Wilde and the other senior players who stayed loyal to the club would have been mentally drained after what can only be called a game of chicken between all parties with the people with the most to lose not us the fans but the players themselves.

I for one was proud of every single one of them for wearing the red shirt last night and congratulate most of them for not doing the easy thing and securing their own future by going to find a different team.

After all that has happened I cant believe some of the stick that is being given by some Salford fans. I thought everyone would just be happy to have had a club for the first game, never mind Koukash and all of the good news this week. This was basically a scratch Salford side, short of players, short of a proper pre-season and the players they did have barely knew each other. Murphy is a young lad with barely any SL experience who was thrown in at the deep end and was targeted by Wigan to great effect. Added to all this Salford were playing a team which finished top of the pile this season. I really dont see how people could have expected much more from Salford than they got. Be patient and give it time because there are very exciting times ahead and things can only improve from here.

It's no surprise that the same wind-bags that spouted-off all pre-season, who then disappeared when good news started to filter in. Should return at the very earliest opportunity to rain down some negativity. I'm sure all Clubs have these squalid little misanthropes but we seem to have more per head of fan than most. It hopefully wont matter too much as they have slowly been making their way onto most posters foe list. If all sensible posters did it, nobody would read or rise to their misery any more.

May the FOE be with you

I walked away from the ground happy that I could still see a Salford team play.
I expected a 50 plus score so 42 was a plus


These fickle to$$ers who come on here spouting $hite should actually realise what those players who stayed have been through.
This team was put together in a week and with no pre-season as they had no where to train.
Warrington took time to start to get a winning team together even with all their millions.
If people expect a top eight finish this year then they are deluded.
Just be thankful Dr Koukash has decided to put his money into Salford and that we have a club to support.
I look forward to the day when fans sing to us "where were you when you were $hit"

Word.

As DV says above, there are some absolute cretins on here. Considering the situation the club has been in over the last few months than anyone who expected anything other than that last night was utterly deluded. To act as if last night's result was a disgrace just shows a total lack of understanding. Is this what we've got to look forward to now? People expecting instant success and throwing their toys around when we don't get it? Chr*st I hope not.

We've been sh*t for that long a little bit longer won't make a difference. We'll get there.

It's inevitable. Especially considering our tough start to the season.

We have lost Patten, Gleeson, Moon, Holdsworth, Smith, Sidlow, Paleaseena, Anderson and Adamson from last year's squad and replaced them with Andrew Dixon, Jack Murphy, Rhys Williams and Martin Gleeson ( who was injured for Friday night ). Last year we lost 40 - 20 to Wigan. This year we lost 42 - 0.

Looking at the above it is hardly surprising. I cannot believe some of the negativity I read on here. No, it wasn't a perfect performance. Yes, we made mistakes. But, we saw an enthusiastic, committed display. In one sense the result didn't matter. As far as fitness goes, our lightweight side had to do such a lot of tackling that after an hour fatigue set in. The stronger, bigger team displayed less fatigue so appeared to be fitter. That's the way it is.

Our first three fixtures would have looked difficult without any of the disruption we've faced. Let us try to get behind our team and support Salford like we should. I have every confidence in the new regime. Nobody in their right mind should expect instant success.

Onwards and upwards.

Normally, after a defeat on a Friday night, my weekend feels somewhat deflated. Not so this weekend. The result was secondary on Friday. I feel privelidged to have been there at the start of Dr. Koukash's "journey". The team deserved their applause at the end. You can criticise a few things that occurred on the pitch, but what's different about that? The team played as a team. They showed full commitment. Any right minded fan will fully understand given the circumstances surrounding the occasion. There is absolutely no need to bleat, None whatsoever

.

Very well put,thankfully we only have a small number of "fans"with the short sighted attitude that you have described.

Having been at the press conference on Thursday and then being introduced to Dr Koukash and his good wife I can honestly say that the fans only have to be a little patient for the good times to arrive.

With regards young Murphy it was obvious what Wigan would do and virtually every kick paid off, his first match is over and done with and that was always going to be his hardest.

I don't think the Doctor will be thinking that way.

Bit of moaning in this thread (apologies forum police):

Firstly, I was happy with the effort and performance on Friday from what is pretty much a patchwork squad.

However, we have spent all pre season, including 2 friendlies, with half backs who played together for a decent part of last season for the reserves and know each others game inside out, only to rip it up and throw in a free agent who signed 2 days before the game.

As for Murphy, he will hopefully do well for us however it was clearly a case of picking him just because he has come from a bigger club in Wigan. We will hopefully lose this inferiority complex over the next few seasons.

Would it have made much difference to the score? Probably not. Might have given a couple of the younger lads a boost of knowing the coach has a bit of faith in them though.

Chances are we are likely to be similar to last years Widnes side, with hopefully a decent run towards the end of the season. Would be nice to pick up a win vs Hull KR on sky in our next home game though.

It seems no one has mentioned the controversy regarding the new Rhino balls.
Suffice to say it has been discussed for some time between the players - Best example I can find - [url=https://twitter.com/GreggMcNally/status/289801509602988032HERE[/url - I believe McNally played for Leigh in the pre-season defeat of Wigan.

I am also not certain the different heights to the roofing and size of the stands may have on a changing wind direction causing more difficulty on dealing with a high ball.Perhaps the Barton swirl is similar to Hampden Park in Scotland,before it was altered.

All depends on how Murphy reacts.I wish him well.I'm sure he will ignore the miserabilists and like the rest of us try and get better every day.

I read a comment from a Wigan supporter last week suggesting Wigan will bombard Murphy with kicks. Perhaps it’s a weakness in his game that they knew they could exploit.

As for the Barton swirl, is it not the same for both teams?

Indeed and could that be SuperSam's excuse for his fumble?

Even taking last year into consideration the swirl appears to affect Salford more than the opposition. If anything you would think it would help Salford considering it's our home and we know about it.

or perhaps we just can't catch

On the few times we were close enough to the Wigan line to put in a really testing kick we went most of the time along the ground. We need to make use of the high ball more than we do if the weather and configuration of the ground makes for testing conditions.
One thing may be that we don't get the chance to practice at the venue so it could be a case this becomes part of the game plan more if/when the Doc gets his share and we are able to use the ground and pitch itself.

We do miss Ratchford's cloud bursting up 'n' unders , especially with the lightness of the new Rhino ball & the notable breeze .

Fages 40/20 & his Chip & collect show we have got some options but until the team beds in an takes advantage of these situations

Marc Sneyd can,and has,put kicks in which results in the ball coming back down with snow on.
Tomkins got off lightly.
While it is easy to criticise the latest development must be for a reason [url=http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_10886-rhino-to-meet-with-players-over-match-ball-concerns.htmlClick For Story[/url