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Long serving John Cookson and Aussie half back Dean Mignacca have both agreed loan deals this week which will give the pair much needed game time ahead of a crucial second half of the season.

Cookson, who was the first player to play 100 games for the co-operative Hornets, will play in the NCL with local community club Rochdale Mayfield with Mignacca joining fellow League One team Oxford.

Stalwart Cookson has been the cornerstone on which the pack has been built in recent years but has found opportunities limited this year. He has featured against South and North Wales in the iPro cup and in the win away at Coventry but is in desperate need of game time to kick start his season.

Mignacca has had a stop-start opening to his Hornets career with injuries early in games limiting his chances to impress.

Mignacca, who coaches local community club Rochdale Cobras, has signed up for a five game stint at Oxford that will allow him the game time he craves to put a marker down for a first team jersey at Hornets.

Both players will continue to train once a week with the Hornets and the opportunity to re-sign Cookson at short notice at any point and Mignacca after the initial 28 day loan are in place.

Heritage Update

The Rochdale Hornets Heritage Committee is set to meet in the next fortnight to discuss, amongst other things, the Founders Walk which will pass through Rochdale and the other clubs which formed the Northern Union 120 years ago.

Details of the Rochdale leg of the walk are being finalized and will be circulated in due course, but the walk is certain to take in the site where Hornets played their first games which, interestingly, is not the Athletic Grounds.

Neil Bruckshaw, a member of the Hornets Heritage Committee, said: "There are many early reports from the first games of Rochdale Hornets, many of which state that the game was played at 'The Hornets Home Ground'. After some research at Touchstones, I found an article that confirmed the cricket grounds as Dane Street as our very first home."

The Dane Street site is now occupied by Asda, with Morrisons occupying the site of the old Athletics Ground.

The Roebuck, in the town centre, is the birth place of the original Hornets and the Baum was the place of the formation of the modern day cooperative in 2009. All sites are being considered for the walk and it is hoped people will be sponsored to walk the Rochdale leg to raise funds for the Rochdale Hornets Foundation Heritage projects.

Anybody wishing to get involved in Hornets Heritage can email:

info@hornetsrugbyleague.com

Hornets Family

Following the success of the Going Away Party at the Flying Horse after Hornets victory against Oxford, more events are being planned that will bring together all members of the Hornets family more regularly.

Fans, players and sponsors partied late into the night following our last fixture and the feel good factor was there for all to see.

Hornets would like to hear from fans, members and occasional supporters alike to find out what it is you want from the club to keep that feel good feeling running all year long.

• Would you like a regular quiz night or similar to engage with fellow supporters more often?
• Would you subscribe to a match highlights/live commentary feature?
• What sort of fundraising activities would you get involved in?

Whatever it is you want, the club wants to hear from you.

Email: info@hornetsrugbyleague.com

Travels

As Hornets embark on their pre-planned run of away games due to pitch maintenance at Spotland, plans are hurriedly being put into place by teams being visited due to their own grounds issues.

The pitch at South Wales has had its maintenance completed and Hornets will be the first team to visit in five weeks. Scorpions have a Pint, Programme and Ticket for £10 deal to entice supporters to Mountain Ash.

There is still no confirmed venue for the York City Knights clash due to be played on 7 June. The game was originally planned for Bootham Cresent but the Knights have yet to make use of the football club's home ground and played their last home game at Featherstone Rovers.
Keep checking the Knights Website for further details.

The North Wales fixture on 14 June, originally scheduled for the Racecouse at Wrexham, has been moved to the Rock on the same date due to pitch maintenance work. The kick-off is 2.30pm.

The clash with Oxford due to be played at Iffley Road on 16 August will now take place on Saturday 15 August at Hemel Stags Pennine Way ground, again due to pitch maintenance (3pm KO).

Hornets' website will be updated in due course but if in any doubt call the opposition to confirm postcodes for venues.

Golf Day

Hornets Golf Day has been postponed until July.

The half term/bank holiday combination has left numbers depleted with many preferring the original July date.

Red Cape Marketing will shortly update the booking page and everyone who is interested in playing should register so tee-times can be planned in advance.

Mossway

A full time groundsperson to look after the Hornets training and community facility at Mossway, Middleton has been appointed.

Darren Rushton joins on an initial 26 week placement sponsored by Seetec Business Technology Centre.

Darren has already made a big impact at Mossway with general gardening duties and will, next week, following the arrival of a mower bought with donations, start work on improving the playing surface, marking the pitch and installing sockets for the posts that have been acquired.

John Cookson has completed emergency works on the electrics meaning Hornets are ready for the launch of touch rugby next Wednesday.

The pitch is in need of verti draining and a modular building for club house use is also needed at the site and Hornets are seeking donations towards these costs.

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