SCOUTING REPORT: SALFORD RED DEVILS

All that we know about our opponents this Thursday

Thursday night sees the Giants travel to the Salford Red Devils in the Betfred Super League, knowing that a win for us can put us within two points of the North West side.

Salford were forced to go through the qualifiers last season, they finished top spot in that competition, winning five of their seven games, avoiding relegation to the Championship in the process. At the moment, the Red Devils sit in 7^th place in the table, but as we all know, it only takes one game for everything to change in 2019 in the Betfred Super League table.

.@JackoHastings putting in another shift for @SalfordDevils 💪👏

1 try, 2 assists, 3 #ManOfSteel points and a solid defensive display from the half... pic.twitter.com/hFtC2FXf8h

— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) June 25, 2019

Salford have won nine of their opening 20 games this campaign in the league. They are currently level on points with last weekend’s opponents, Wakefield Trinity. The Red Devils are one of just five clubs with a positive point difference this season. Only the top two sides, St Helens and Warrington, have a better point record than the Red Devils’ +79.

The North West side won three of their opening five games in 2019. Their form then dropped drastically, only winning one of their next six games. After a Ladbrokes Challenge Cup win, three of their next four games, including an impressive win at second placed Warrington Wolves. A defeat to Hull KR in the Challenge Cup sparked another drop in form, as they lost their next three games, although two of those losses were by just two points, the other one being by three. Ahead of our trip to the AJ Bell Stadium, the Red Devils have won two of their last three games.

Star Player – Jackson Hastings

Salford’s main man since his arrival in July 2018 has been former Sydney Roosters and Manly Sea Eagles half-back, Jackson Hastings.

Hastings helped to guide the Red Devils to Super League safety last year, after his star performances in the qualifiers saw them top the competition. Despite heavy speculation of an off season move to the Wigan Warriors after last season, the Australian decided to spend one more year at the Red Devils.

.@JackoHastings with another try and assist for @SalfordDevils 🔥🤝

That's 13 assists for the season, making him the joint highest in 2019 🙌 #NewBeginnings pic.twitter.com/jyl5Y0dEEd

— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) April 28, 2019

He has picked up this season where he left off last season, featuring in all 20 Betfred Super League games so far this campaign. Hastings is the sixth highest metre maker in the competition this season, making a massive 2392 metres, an average gain of 6.54 metres per carry. As well as this, Hastings has the most try assists in the competition, with 24, as well as six tries of his own. They aren’t the only stats that Hastings is ahead in. He also has had the most carries in the league this season with 366.