Salford City forward Fabio Borini says playing football is “like an addiction” as he discusses the reasons behind his move to the League Two side following his departure from Sampdoria.
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Rowley spent four years in charge of Leigh between 2012 and 2016 before spending two years as head coach of Toronto Wolfpack.
He initially joined Salford as a coaching consultant in 2019 and stepped up to the top job for the 2022 campaign.
His first three seasons in charge brought two play-off finishes but any hopes of building on those in 2025 were scuppered by a litany of off-field issues.
The Red Devils were beset by financial problems, which led to the vast majority of the senior playing squad leaving and Rowley being forced to pull together sides week to week.
Against that chaotic backdrop they managed three Super League wins and ended with two points deducted for failing to fulfil a fixture against Wakefield.
Before their final game of the season last month he admitted that he was “relieved to have reached the end of the year.”
“I’m pretty proud that I managed to get the team to the finish line,” Rowley told BBC Radio Manchester as he reflected on the 2025 season.
“That’s a bit sad really because you should never want the finish line to come in rugby league where the last game is the most important.
“Everybody at the club, certainly the staff, have been immense. I’m surrounded by good people. My staff have become my best friends and I think the moral compass of the staff at this club is unparalleled.”
Warrington: Dufty; Thewlis, Duffy, King, Thewlis; Williams, Hayes; Yates, Walker, Thomas, Smith, Holroyd, Matterson.
Interchanges: Philbin, McKinney, Wood, Powell; Hartill.
Salford: Walker; Tchamambe, Darbyshire, Gorman, Connell; Mellor, Milnes; Lewis, Davis, Sangare, Ruan, Russell, Wilson.
Interchanges: Nikorima, Chan, Warren, Croft; Shaw.
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas.
The statement also said that they received positive assurances about an upcoming winding-up petition from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which was adjourned earlier this year and is set to take place at the High Court on 3 September.
It has been a tumultuous 12 months for Salford, who have been plagued with financial issues despite a takeover by a consortium led by Dario Berta going through on the eve of the season.
In the past month the situation at the club has worsened, with a mass player exodus, problems with wage payments and their chief operating officer, Claire Bradbury, quitting her role, alleging the club’s ownership suggested she “sleep with someone at the Rugby Football League” to ease their situation.
Salford said they would be “conducting a thorough internal investigation”.
“The club owners also informed us that they’re in the process of arranging a bridging loan to assist in seeing the club through to the end of the season and to enable the club to make progress in clearing debts,” the mayors’ statement continued.
“In light of the bridging loan being pursued, we agreed to work together in hopefully securing an outcome that maintains the club as a going concern.
“We understand how difficult this time is for the club’s fans and loyal supporters and want to assure you, we are doing everything within our power to safeguard the club’s future.”
Leeds: Miller, Hall, Newman, Handley, Edgell, Croft, Connor, Jenkins, O’Connor, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell, Watkins.
Interchanges: Ackers, Lisone, Smith, Cassell.
Salford: Murphy, Ryan, D. Russell, Hankinson, Connell, Brierley, O. Russell, Ormondroyd, Mellor, C. Hill, Foster, Whitehead, Shorrocks.
Interchanges: Morgan, Wilson, Glover, Chan.
Referee: Liam Rush.
Salford Red Devils picked up only their second Super League win of the season by coming from behind to beat Castleford Tigers.
The beleaguered bottom club, who suffered an exodus of 11 senior players after suffering financial troubles related to a takeover, ended a run of 13 straight defeats against a side which had already beaten them twice this season.
Tries from Ethan Ryan, Harvey Wilson, Joe Mellor, Esan Marsters and Chris Hankinson – the first time they have scored more than three in a game this season – were enough against a Tigers side without a head coach following Danny McGuire’s sacking on Monday.
Director of rugby Chris Chester took charge while Cas seek a replacement, but two tries from Daejarn Asi and others from Josh Simm and George Lawler were not enough to prevent them slipping to a fourth consecutive loss.
Victory came at a cost for Salford, however, as they lost key players to injury with Jayden Nikorima going off with a wrist problem, Marsters dislocating his shoulder as he scored the try which re-established the Salford lead in the second half and both Loghan Lewis and Chris Hill needing head injury assessments.
Coach Paul Rowley had talked about seeing “green shoots” as they ran Warrington Wolves close last week, but he then lost half-back Danny Richardson, recalled from loan by Hull Kingston Rovers, and was forced to patch up his squad once more.
Cas have been poor this season and McGuire paid the price for that last week as he was dismissed after less than nine months in charge.
They were off to a bad start at the Salford Community Stadium too, as winger Ryan put the home side ahead after just nine minutes.
It looked like a familiar story for Salford, however, as Simm levelled and then Asi cut back inside the scrambling cover after a scrum in front of the posts to open up a 10-4 lead for the visitors.
Wilson then came up with two big moments at either end of the field, managing to force a knock-on over the line from Jeremiah Simbiken as he was poised to score, and then forcing his way over for a try of his own to level up the match once more.
Salford rediscovered the kind of flair that took them to fourth place last season as Marsters set up Hankinson for a try which put them six points up at half time, but two quick penalties at the start of the second half brought the pressure from which Asi scored a try, with Chris Atkin’s conversion making it 16-16.
Salford might have folded a few weeks ago but they came strong again as Marsters finished after a great break by Jack Ormondroyd and then debutant Olly Russell, brought in on loan from Wakefield Trinity this week, kicked through for Hankinson to score.
Lawler’s late try cast some doubt over the result but Salford fought hard to maintain the lead, sparking celebrations from their support at the end, although they remain bottom of the table.