There was a time all Salford boss Paul Rowley wanted to do was win for Tony Smith but things are very different now.
His Red Devils side take on Smith’s Hull FC on Saturday, more than 20 years after he played for the Australian in Huddersfield colours. England hooker Rowley joined them from Halifax after the 2000 World Cup. However, despite improving vastly under the upcoming Smith and having their best Super League season in 2001, Huddersfield suffered relegation. Rowley quickly moved to home town Leigh the following year but admits he learned plenty from a coach who went on to win Grand Finals with Leeds, Challenge Cups at Warrington and also lead Great Britain.
He said: "There’s definitely things from Tony I took into my own coaching career. It’s more man-management than anything. I felt that he managed me really well at that point (in 2001). I had a commitment to him personally when I played there that I wanted to win for him. It’s not always the case and that’s quite a strong emotion when you want to play for your coach. Tony has a knack of doing that and that’s probably the main thing I took from him.”
Rowley, who turns 48 on Sunday, has certainly created that same spirit in his own teams, whether when boss at Leigh, Toronto or now Salford, who were one of last year’s big success stories in Super League. He said: “I’d like to think so. You’d have to ask the players that! But I think we have a togetherness in all the groups I’ve coached.
"We care for one another and we’re equally as happy to see one another’s success but it’s certainly a team-first mentality. I do try and do that and if I can have any influence, that would be it. I like to think so and that the boys care about how us staff are feeling as much as we care about them.”
Injury-ravaged Salford are down to their last 18 fit players with in-form Ollie Partington and Joe Burgess their latest casualties. They also revealed on Friday that ex-England centre Dan Sarginson, 29, has left the club with immediate effect having not featured at all this season. All of which will make life tough for the Red Devils when they take on a Hull side itching to right the wrongs of a 38-6 loss at Catalans. But Salford require a positive performance, too. After an opening night win at Leigh, they’ve led at half-time against Hull KR and Warrington only to end up losing both matches. On Hull, Rowley said: “They’re a big club and they’ve some obvious threats in Brad Dwyer and Tex Hoy. They’re dangerous opposition but we’re looking forward to it.”
