Gil Dudson believes Salford’s mid-season transfer merry-go-round has galvanised Ian Watson’s band of brothers as they bid to win the Grand Final.
At least five members of the Red Devils side that faces Castleford on Thursday will move onto pastures new next season, with a host of the departures announced halfway through the campaign.
But while that situation has derailed teams in the past, in-form prop Dudson - who is staying put - says it had the opposite effect at Salford.
The Welsh international said: “When they started to get announced there was quite a bit of backlash, especially with people wearing other teams’ shirts.
"But everyone is a paid professional here and I never saw it as a massive deal. If anything it galvanised us and brought us closer together, because we know that this is our shot.
“Boys moving on at the end of the year is part of professional sport, but what we realise is that we’ve got the opportunity to do something special here. There’s been a feeling here all season that you don’t get very often.”
Cardiff-born Dudson has been an important part of Salford’s remarkable run to third, having joined following an injury-hit campaign at relegated Widnes last season.
He says coach Watson’s straight-talking approach reminds him of working under Shaun Wane at Wigan and has been a key factor in the Red Devils’ rise.
Watson’s Castleford counterpart Daryl Powell has insisted that his injury-hit side are clear underdogs going into tonight’s showdown - but Dudson doesn’t see it that way.
He added: “Two years ago they were in the Grand Final and we were fighting relegation. Yes we’ve finished third but in the grand scheme of things we were being tipped for relegation again at the start of the year.
“I still think to this day people believe we’ve done brilliantly but it will peter out. But we don’t see it that way.
“Cas can say what they want about being underdogs but it doesn’t really matter when you step out onto the field.
“They are a good team who are a real danger across the park. But if we bring the same kind of attitude, intensity and energy we’ve been showing, we think we can get the job done.”
