Hankinson believes that Salford’s distinctive style of rugby league, combined with the untapped potential of the region, could make Paul Rowley’s team a surprise contender once again.
“I have a competitive spirit and a desire to win in every aspect,” Hankinson shared with Love Rugby League.
“If you don’t carry that mindset, the sting of losing isn’t as profound. I’m hopeful that, being surrounded by players like those at Salford, they share that winning mentality, leading to positive outcomes.
“We possess a considerable amount of quality here, and it’s not just about the individuals; it’s also about the playing style. During my time at Toulouse Olympique, we closely followed Salford, and even then, in France, I advocated for Rowley’s style of play.
“It’s characterized by French flair, encouraging expansive play from all areas of the field. It catches opponents off guard, and they struggle to contend with it. It’s controlled chaos and a challenging defensive proposition. We excel at it more than any other team. We’ve diligently practiced it throughout the preseason, giving us an edge over others.
“Then there’s Manchester—a sprawling city with significant influence. We need to connect with the people. Manchester is globally recognized due to Manchester United and Manchester City, and we should leverage that. Just like the NRL expanding to Las Vegas, this can have a cascading effect on Super League.
“The potential in Manchester is enormous. Football is dominant, so to showcase what rugby league is all about, we must achieve success and cultivate an attraction that hopefully garners widespread interest.”
Hankinson discusses his disappointment with Featherstone Rovers and anticipates challenging times ahead at Post Office Road, foreseeing “a few tough years.”
Hankinson joins the Red Devils after a disappointing exit from Featherstone, where the team’s ambitious quest for their first-ever promotion to Super League came to a humiliating conclusion in the Championship play-off semi-finals against London Broncos. Reflecting on the experience, he expressed his dissatisfaction, stating, “Featherstone was a significant letdown as we had built up our season, and the League Leaders’ Shield ended up meaning nothing.”
“We fell short of our goal, and coping with the aftermath has been challenging. I invested my utmost effort into that, and losing the semi-final was a shocking blow.
We were aware that London was in good form, but we didn’t anticipate playing as poorly as we did. Despite our strong performance leading up to it, we thought the match would be close or even a clear victory for us, so it was disheartening.
Last year presented the best opportunity Featherstone has ever had. Unfortunately, financially, they had to make significant cutbacks and experienced a substantial turnover of players.
There’s a new era unfolding there now, and I hope they can turn things around. They are facing a tough few years ahead.
Fortunately for me personally, things have worked out for the better. I’ve always considered myself a Super League player, even though I had a season with Toulouse and then Featherstone. My level of commitment has never waned.
It can be challenging when you compete in a lower-tier competition, and standards may drop. Players are less athletic, and conditions are tougher, but I’ve always strived to maintain the same level of performance wherever I’ve played.”
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