Niall Evalds has revealed the extent of the abuse he received over his Salford exit - but insists it won’t affect his desire to finish his Red Devils career on a high.
Reports emerged at weekend that the prolific full-back will join Castleford next season after over a decade at Salford.
The Red Devils confirmed his departure in a statement which said they were “extremely disappointed” with Evalds’ decision - prompting a backlash from some supporters online.
The 26-year-old has since received messages of support from team-mates and fans alike - but admits it has been a tough week for him and his family.
Evalds said: “The story came out very unexpectedly and I was in a position where I couldn’t comment publicly at the time. I was incredibly disappointed with the Salford statement because I’ve got nothing but respect for the fans, coaching staff and players at the club.
“Me and my partner then had to sit and read all the negative abuse and there were some really personal things written. It’s not nice to read especially where you’re not able to get your side of the story out - and there is always two sides.
“If there’s anything to be learnt from this, it’s that mental health is real, and what people say online can cause a lot of stress to family members and friends. I hope everyone takes a minute to consider what they put out there before they send it and think about what they’re doing.
“We speak a lot about mental health in the game and things like this can have a big effect on players and their families.”
Evalds was an integral member of the Salford team that made last year’s Grand Final, scoring 27 tries to earn an invite to Shaun Wane’s first England get-together. He joined the club as a teenager and has stressed that his focus is now on finishing his time at the Red Devils on a positive note.
He added: “If you speak to any player or staff member that’s ever been at Salford they will tell you I’ve not missed a training session in years and I’m never late.
“I come in, work hard and generally you don’t hear a peep out of me, I’m a pretty quiet lad.
“When I spoke to Ian Watson about the decision the first thing I said was that it won’t affect anything this year. Nothing will ever affect my playing and training - I live and breath rugby and Ian said he wouldn’t expect anything less.
“My goal now is to get Salford as high as possible if and when we’re able to get back playing.
“Leaving the club wasn’t an easy decision to make - I’ve been here since I was 15 years old and stuck with the club through thick and thin. I’ve got so many shared memories with the players, fans and staff and Salford will always mean a hell of a lot to me, I’ll always be a fan looking out for their results.
“I didn’t make this decision lightly and it took a lot of time and negotiations, but it’s one that I’m proud of. Hopefully the Salford fans can respect that - I understand why they might not be happy but now I want to finish on a high.”
