Salford's Brodie Croft vows to 'throw everything' at Catalans to reach play-offs
Man of Steel Brodie Croft declared Salford will throw everything at Catalans in their last desperate bid to reach Super League’s play-offs.
The Aussie stand-off must dig deep into his box of tricks to help defeat the joint-leaders on Friday. Rampant Catalans inflicted a record 61-0 defeat on Leeds in Perpignan last weekend. And they know another win could see them lift the League Leaders’ Shield.
But seventh-placed Salford realise Friday's the last chance saloon for them - and they still need Huddersfield to do them a favour by beating sixth-placed Warrington. The Red Devils’ 12-0 loss at Hull KR has left them on the outside looking in heading into the final round. Croft, 26, admitted: “You can only control what you can control and we didn’t do that at KR so that’s put us in this predicament.
“Catalans are playing some really good footy. Their spine has been quality on the back of a forward pack that really lays a great platform. They have a really simple game plan and have been executing it week in week out so there’s a reason they’ve been up at the top the whole season. It's a massive game.
"But it’s our last chance. And we like our chances. We’ve regrouped and come in to throw everything we have at them as our season is on the line. Hopefully the rugby gods can be in our favour.”
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And Salford do have the potential to cause an upset. Paul Rowley’s side still have all the main players, such as Marc Sneyd, Andy Ackers and Ryan Brierley, from the side that got to within 80 minutes of Old Trafford last year. They were hit by illness in the camp ahead of their crucial showdown with KR who secured their top-six place with victory. But ex-Melbourne star Croft, who signed a bumper eight-year deal with Salford ahead of this season, knows that was no excuse.
Salford's Brodie Croft in action against Hull KR at Magic Weekend (Getty Images)The Red Devils forced four first-half goalline drop-outs but couldn’t convert any into points. He said: “We knew they’re a good scramble team. They defend really well together. We created a few little half chances but they defended them. Often it’s the next play that gets them but unfortunately we pushed our hand too much on that next play and dropped the ball too much at critical times.
“If we’d have held on, we’d have probably got them at the next one. “We were our own worst enemies. We shot ourselves in the foot. We have to improve against Catalans.”
Ex-Great Britain star Josh Jones, the 30-year-old former St Helens, Salford and Hull second-row who left Huddersfield last week, has retired from rugby league after a succession of concussion issues.
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