Super League: Hull turn down Devils’ postponement request

Their rivals, ravaged by injuries and suspension, today took the unprecedented step of asking the second-bottom Black and Whites to rearrange the contest due to their selection difficulties.

Salford were without 14 players, including banned quartet Rangi Chase, Weller Hauraki, Cory Paterson and Darrell Griffin, against Castleford on Sunday and picked up several more injuries in a gutsy 22-20 defeat at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Iestyn Harris had been considering playing 38-year-old assistant coach Ian Watson this weekend but it now appears Salford’s situation is even more serious than that.

The club tweeted: “Due to unprecedented injury crisis we have requested this Friday’s game v Hull FC be postponed. We are awaiting Hull response.”

The Rugby Football League has been made aware of the request and said it would only step in if there was “a player welfare issue”.

But Pearson told The Yorkshire Post he would be contacting Salford to tell them there is no chance of the game being postponed.

“I think we’ve got the same number of players out injured and most teams are operating on average without seven or eight players,” he said.

“I saw they ran Castleford really close yesterday and I’m expecting a very close game on Friday night.

“Unfortunately we won’t be able to consider their request. It is an unusual request to say the least considering it is just four days before the game and we’ve already got one more fixture to find room for.

“It did take me by surprise but, then again, not much surprises me with Salford.”

Hull could be without Mickey Paea, too, after the prop was charged with two Grade B offences of raising his knees in a tackle - first on Anthony Mullally and then Michael Lawrence - during Friday’s 24-4 defeat to Huddersfield Giants.

He will appear before the disciplinary tomorrow while Castleford Tigers hooker Adam Milner has been charged with making a Grade B high tackle on Salford’s Wayne Godwin - one of those Red Devils set to be out.

He has until 11am tomorrow to submit an Early Guilty Plea.