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Champions await 

Rochdale Hornets travel to Super League Champions St Helen's this Friday (30 January) evening for a pre-season warm up game.

Hornets will face off against a St Helen's XIII featuring first team and academy players at Langtree Park in game which will be a stern test for the Rochdale team preparing for a tough League One campaign, as the Saint's young guns look to put a marker down for the season ahead.

The game will kick off at 7.30pm.

Entry is £5 adults, £2 children.

Talbot 'surprised' by Mayfield performance

Rochdale Hornets coach Ian Talbot admitted that he was surprised by his team’s performance in Saturday’s victory over Rochdale Mayfield.

Hornets ran out 44-6 winners in a fiery derby match, with a number of players making their debut for the club, and after the match Talbot was pleased with his side’s display.

“It was a great performance wasn’t it? I’ve just said to the lads in there they’ve surprised me.

“I think we are a little bit further on than I thought we were. They stuck to the structure and stuck to the plan and I thought we were really good.

“We spoke before the game and said the score doesn’t matter in games like this, it’s more about the performance and I’m made up with the performance.”

Mayfield went down to 12 men early in the second half following Sam Butterworth’s sending off and despite conceding a try in the latter stages of the game Talbot was still impressed with the League One outfit’s defence.

“The lads are a bit dirty on themselves conceding that late try.

“We’ve worked hard on our defence through the off season, that’s something that we’ve spoke about needing to improve and I thought for large periods we were really good.

“Obviously the changes to the personnel and the disruption caused through substitutions mean that you’re going to have a few defensive lapses, but overall I was impressed with the defence.”

It wasn’t all good news though as the nature of a fierce derby game does claim victims from time-to-time.

Alex Trumper was on the wrong end of a high shot which left him with a broken jaw and needing surgery.

The loss of Trumper is a big one to the team, however, Saturday’s performance left Talbot with a headache all coaches dream of having.

“I though some of the guys in the middle were fantastic, all the forwards were fantastic led by Matty Hadden and Sam Brooks and you know they’ve given me a selection headache now going into the season which is good.

“We’ve got a pretty strong squad together this season and there’s competition for places throughout now so it’s looking good at the minute.”

Next up for Rochdale is a tough trip to the Super League champions St Helens and it is expected to be a totally different test.

“Next week they’re going to turn up the tempo a notch quicker quite considerably and it’s going to be free playing rugby at pace so it’s going to be more a test of the lungs.

“Today (Saturday) was a physicality test and next week will be more of a test of the lungs.”

Gaz Langley and Tony Suffolk may return to the squad for the Saints game and Lee

Paterson is available as he served the final game of his suspension on Saturday.

Supporters Direct Shield up for grabs

Rochdale Hornets will take on last year’s play-off winners, Hunslet Hawks, in the first running of the Supporters Direct Rugby League Challenge Shield on Sunday 8 February 2015, kick off 3pm.

The two supporter-owned clubs are amongst six in the sport, and the tie comes just a matter of days before the start of the new season.

Supporters Direct CEO, Robin Osterley said: “We’re really pleased that both clubs have been able to accommodate this fixture in their busy pre-season calendar. It’s really important for us that we show the breadth of our work, and having two clubs so well placed in the game of rugby league is a source of real pride for us.”

“We’re hoping that this fixture can be a regular one between clubs owned by their supporters, and it will also raise the profile in the sport of the work that we do across supporters’ trusts both in Super League and in the Championship.”

Hornets Director, David Bulcock said: ”It is a match we at Hornets feel privileged to have been invited to take part in along with our friends from fellow supporter owned Hunslet Hawks. It highlights the fact that such clubs can work and prosper in the sporting world; that in the new era of rugby league our two clubs can grow and be successful but still live within our means. This game will help to spread the word that supporters can get involved and own their clubs.

“As well as a celebration of supporter’s ownership, it helps both coaches build on the pre-season in a competitive way and with silverware up for grabs it will be a fast open competitive game of rugby league. One all at Hornets are looking forward to.”

Hunslet Chairman Neil Hampshire said: “It’s a real honour to be asked to contest the SD Supporters Trophy against our fellow supporter owned opponents Rochdale Hornets. It will be a chance for us both to help SD promote supporter ownership across rugby league.

“We feel this is particularly important at a time when the sport is moving back to promotion and relegation throughout the professional game and clubs need to learn very quickly to live within their means, guarding against the dangers of a ‘boom and bust’ approach.

“For the players it’s an excellent opportunity to contest for early silverware, giving the game an added edge and making it far more meaningful than a standard pre – season friendly. I’m sure both sides will be highly competitive and we will see a game fitting of the occasion.”

Details will be announced closer to the fixture.