#rugbyleague BLOG 2010/11: Featherstone Rovers doing it the right way

Entry 13, 15th November 2010.

Over the weekend Featherstone Rovers opted against applying for a Super League franchise despite winning the Minor Premiership this past season and appearing in a Grand Final.

Rovers cited their support base in being the main reason for not submitting a bid although Rovers director Andrew McNeil reckons the club are heading in the right direction.

A statement appeared on Fev's official website (http://www.featherstonerovers.net) over the weekend in explanation.

Featherstone director Andrew McNeil, who has been liaising with the RFL in working towards the club's bid explained; "We feel we can make a massive contribution to Super League. The club has just about reinvented itself over the past few years. We are well on the way to no longer being labeled a ‘small town club', but an ever growing club that just happens to be in a small town. Our player development and coaching system is state of the art and runs continuously from scholarship to first team.

"The addition of a women's team provides another exciting opportunity, we want to build on this addition with a scholarship or centre of excellence approach to girls' participation in the sport as part of the overall system.

"Our stadium is modern, but needs expansion and we are well on the way to putting everything in place. Our development plan goes beyond just the stadium. With the land at our disposal, we will also be able to maintain the vast training area required to operate so many teams and engage so many people."

He continued; "We need to grow our support base. We seem to have a large group of fans who only come to big games. We want them to enjoy the Rovers' experience on a regular basis and we are working on that. This is the conundrum we face, or it might even be two conundrums. Where do the people who come to go for the rest of the year, and why is there this resistance in general to enjoy an afternoon or evening at Featherstone? People have said to me that Rovers aren't going to be allowed to progress to the top level because the powers that be don't want us. This is simply not the case. The message we need to share is one of the enjoyable, passionate and good value experience that watching Rovers is.

"We have liaised and co-operated with the RFL extensively. They have been helpful and encouraging. We are not dreamers: we have ambition and we are making that ambition work for us. Having that ambition means we have a responsibility to see it through and that underpins our business. We are doing what we are doing not just because of Super League, but because we believe in making our club the best it can be for its own sake. Then only then will we be ready.

"But until then the people of the local area and beyond, who we are working so hard to reach out to get the message, then a license bid has to be on hold for the immediate future."
**Ends**


Now I have to admit, I've got a lot of time for clubs like Featherstone. It's perhaps not something I would have said a dozen years ago when Aussie import Danny Baker was rampaging over Leigh's David Hill and Karl Pratt was racing in for another try, but age, experience and maturity have taught me to look at rugby league a bit differently.

Rovers in particular are a long standing team in a mould not too dis-similar to Leigh. Both towns were hit hard by the Miners strikes of the mid eighties and both towns relied on the local industries for work. I'm sure at one point Rovers were everyone's favourite underdog. Particulary in the early 80s when they caused a big shock at Wembley and won the Challenge Cup with victory over Hull. During this period they assembled a strong team and gave first chances in the game to players like Deryck Fox and Paul Newlove.

A few years ago, Rovers sank to the bottom tier but have been a steadily improving club for the last three or four years.
In 2007 they defeated Oldham at a packed Headingley in the National League Two Grand Final while they survived the spectre of relegation in 2008 before pushing for a play-off spot in 2009, knocking out Sheffield and Widnes before falling to Halifax in the Final Eliminator. This past term they were the most consistent team over the course of the season. They lost two games in the league and qualified for the Grand Final at the first attempt with a thumping win over Halifax. sadly for Rovers, Fax got their own back in the grand Final with Ben Black's Golden Point drop-goal settling arguably the most dramatic Grand Final to date.

They have a respected man at the helm in the form of Daryl Powell and I think they will be there or thereabouts next season. I do think as Mr McNeil pointed out that they need to boost crowds but there appears to be a firm base to build on unlike other clubs operating in quicksand.

I particularly like his comment about building Rovers - "We are doing what we are doing not just because of Super League, but because we believe in making our club the best it can be for its own sake. Then only then will we be ready." That should be turned into a banner and displayed on the door of every boardroom in the game. Wise words indeed.

I for one wish Rovers well. This is the correct way to go about things.

RL Comment - Rovers set the standard

I've been very impressed with Featherstone Rovers this season.

The Yorkshire club who just squeezed into the top six last year and went within a game of a Grand Final appearance have been excellent in 2010.

They lost just two games in their league campaign (to Toulouse and Sheffield Eagles respectively) and can boast some of the Championship's top players.

Their domination of the competition was evident on Thursday night when they hosted Halifax.

In April, Rovers had bashed Matt Calland's men 44-4 but everyone expected a close game after Fax roared through the last few weeks and put a good winning run together.

Halifax even grabbed the first try when quick thinking from Sean Penkywicz saw the hooker surge to the try line off a tap penalty.

It was Rovers however that struck back quickly to level through Stuart Dickens when the prop went through a hole in the middle of the defence.

Kyle Briggs, who went on to enjoy an excellent game, struck the first of seven goals and  two tries in three minutes from Liam Welham and the impressive Tommy Saxton quickly made it 16-6 to Rovers.

A smart pass from veteran Graham Holroyd found Shad Royston and the fullback was able to notch his now customary try. The Championship's top goal kicker Lee Paterson converted but Rovers claimed their fourth try just after the half hour mark when Dane Manning got in.

Halifax again replied when a sweeping move right saw Royston push into the line to create the extra man and Rob Worrincy went over in the corner. Patterson's conversion made it 22-16 and that looked set to be the half-time score before Briggs took the line on and got between two forwards. He then goaled to make it 28-16 at the break.

Fax were faced with a simple equation - score first. They didn't, or should that read couldn't. Featherstone's defence reigned supreme and eventually their attack took advantage.

For twenty minutes Halifax battered at the Featherstone line but time and again it stood firm.

Rovers spied their chance and Irish international Liam Finn showed a good turn of pace to race through from twenty metres. At 34-16 it was game over and Briggs then stepped up to rub further salt in the wounds with two tries that saw him finish with a hat-trick and a personal tally of 26 points from the game.

It will take a good team to stop Rovers from lifting the trophy at Warrington on 26th September.

I'm looking forward to seeing that game.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND UP

BARROW 6
FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 20

Featherstone Rovers sent a message of intent to the rest of the Championship following a comprehensive defensive performance against reigning champions Barrow Raiders.

They were able to throw a defensive blanket over the Raiders for most of the game but their efforts in the last 15 minutes were particularly noteworthy as Rovers repelled everything that Barrow could throw at them before striking from close range through Liam Finn with a little over six minutes left. Kyle Briggs tagged on his fifth goal and Featherstone remained watertight until a couple of minutes from time when Jermaine McGilvray darted over in the corner and Jamie Rooney converted.

Seconds from time the Raiders conceded a drop-out and the ensuing kick sailed out of play on the full which allowed Briggs to add a sixth goal to even take the bonus point away.

Earlier, Featherstone built an 8-0 half-time lead thanks to a 16th minute converted try from Jon Steel and a Briggs penalty ten minutes later. Two further Briggs penalties after 57 and 63 minutes made it 12-0 to the visitors before the interesting finish ensured the three points went back to the BigFella's Stadium.

In the other game this evening Toulouse defeated Keighley at home 34-26.

Northern Rail Cup - Tuesday Round-up - Featherstone 56 Rochdale 10

One game took place this evening at Featherstone where the Rovers ran in eleven tries against visiting Rochdale before a low crowd of 777.


Rovers led 30-0 at halftime and scored tries through Papua New Guinea internationals Jessie Joe Parker and Lasen Marabe (2). Other tries came from Jon Grayshon, Ross Divorty, Kyle Briggs, Aaron Dobek, Jon Steel (2) and Ian Hardman. Briggs (5) and Dobek added goals.

Rochdale scored two tries, both in the second half through Wayne Corcoran and Dean Gorton while Dean Hatton kicked a goal.