Mossop Not Surprised By Salford Rise

Prop Lee Mossop says he is not surprised by Salford Red Devils’ rise from relegation candidates to the brink of the Super League Grand Final. The Red Devils are more accustomed to finishing in the lower reaches of the Super League standings and they only avoided relegation from the top-tier in 2016 thanks to a golden-point extra time victory over Hull KR in the Million Pound Game.

A similar season of struggle appeared to be on the cards at the start of the current campaign, but a run of nine consecutive wins helped propel Ian Watson’s side into the playoffs as they eventually finished third in the regular standings. After seeing off Castleford Tigers in the playoffs last week, Salford know if they beat reigning champions Wigan Warriors at the DW Stadium on Saturday then they will be through to the Grand Final against St Helens on October 12.

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Not many people would have expected Salford to be within touching distance of a trip to Old Trafford, but Mossop, who has played in both of their playoff games to date, insists he always had belief in his team’s ability. “We have proven a lot of people wrong and we want to keep doing that,” Mossop told BBC Radio Manchester.

“Obviously at the start of the season I was being proved wrong. It was the Salford of old, win a couple and lose a couple. “I did think we’d go well. I said it at the Super League launch [at the beginning of the season] and I could see a lot of people’s faces, they didn’t believe me.”