Salford RLFC have appointed Mike Grady as their new head coach, eleven days before the phoenix club kick off their Championship campaign against Oldham.
Grady previously coached Salford Red Devils’ women’s team from 2023 until the club was wound up in December over outstanding debts.
He has held roles at Widnes Vikings and Rochdale Hornets and brings more than 12 years of rugby experience at both club and international levels to the post.
Grady’s arrival comes weeks after former Salford captain Ryan Brierley was unveiled as the newly-launched side’s chief executive and is the latest part of the club’s rebuild.
The former North Wales Crusaders boss joins in time to lead the side in their first march since they were wound up by the High Court and then reformed under the ownership of a consortium led by former player Mason Caton-Brown in December.
While Grady has a tight turnaround to prepare his squad for the start of their Championship campaign against Oldham at the CorpAQ Stadium on 16 January, he is relishing the opportunity to take charge.
He said: “It’s an honour to be given this opportunity to lead Salford RLFC. The professionalism, belief and sense of hope growing under the new ownership have motivated so many of us.
“We know this will be a challenging period, but we’ll be ready. I want to draw on the club’s proud heritage, tough to the core, full of heart, and committed to playing entertaining rugby that makes our fans proud.
“There will be players starting with us who have a real chance to make their mark. This is the beginning of something special.”
CEO Ryan Brierley praised the appointment, highlighting Grady’s long-standing connection with the club and his passion for player development.
He said: “Mike has been part of the Salford fabric for a while now, and this is a fantastic opportunity for him to take this club forward.
“I’ll fully support his decisions and help build a team around his enthusiasm, professionalism, and love for the game.
“He understands what Salford stands for, resilience, community, pride and he shares our vision of creating exciting, sustainable rugby that our supporters can believe in.”
Grady will be joined by Dave Hewitt, who has been appointed Assistant Coach for the first team. A former St Helens and England Academy player, Hewitt will take a key role in developing the team’s attacking structure and nurturing emerging talent.
The club say that “Grady and Hewitt will play a central part in shaping a new era for Salford RLFC: one built on belief, hard work, and a commitment to playing the kind of rugby the fans deserve.”
