In 2019, Salford Red Devils rewrote history as they made their way to their first-ever Super League Grand Final and in 2020 they’re looking to achieve a similar feat with a first Coral Challenge Cup Final since 1969 a real prospect.
Three years ago, the Red Devils were 80 minutes from Wembley before falling to Wigan Warriors – a defeat that was Salford’s fourth at the Semi-Final stage since their last trip to the capital.
However, Captain Mark Flanagan has seen a change in dynamic at the club helped both by recent success and a number of shrewd additions to the squad.
Flanagan said: “We’ve got players in our squad who have played internationals, who have won Challenge Cups and who have won Super League Grand Finals.
“I think we’ve all had the same expectations as Ian [Watson]. In pre-season we went on a camp and we set down our goals for the year and it was to win both competitions.
“I’m pretty competitive by nature and I wouldn’t play Rugby if I didn’t want to win everything. But we’re realistic and we know it’s going to be tough on Saturday.
“We know we’re probably not doing ourselves justice in the Super League, but we’d back ourselves against any team and we’ve won three in a row including a gutsy performance against Catalans in the Quarter-Finals.
“Those standards and expectations are driven by the players as much as they are Ian and we are all a very ambitious group of players and we’ll be very confident come Saturday.”
Salford knocked out 2018 winners Catalans Dragons in the Quarter-Finals thanks to a Golden Point Extra-Time try from Dan Sarginson at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
The Red Devils will once again take the St Helens turf this weekend and it is a venue Flanagan is extremely familiar with having spent four seasons with Saints between 2012 and 2015.
Flanagan said: “It hasn’t really crossed my mind that we’re playing at St Helens.
“I’ve won quite a few matches there and scored one or two tries so I suppose those feelings might help but there’s a lot of other issues at play on the weekend.”
Watch Mark Flanagan and Paul Rowley’s pre-match press conference in full here.
Salford Red Devils face Warrington Wolves in the Semi-Finals of the 2020 Coral Challenge Cup live on BBC Two from 5pm on Saturday 3 October.
