Rugby League: Hornets appoint co-captains

Rochdale Hornets co-captains Danny Yates and Luke Adamson

Rochdale Hornets have appointed co-captains for the upcoming Championship season.

Luke Adamson and Danny Yates will lead the club in a change to the leadership model that coach Alan Kilshaw adopted last season.

Adamson joined the club from Oldham during the close-season, and has showed why he was brought to the club with his two performances against his former club and Warrington Wolves.

It was a surprise for the forward that he had been named as captain so soon in his Rochdale career, but he revealed how proud the announcement has made him.

He said: “It is a massive honour.

“When coming to a new club you just want to fit in, and I have got on with everyone really well.

“I was surprised when he (Kilshaw) asked me, but also honoured at the same time.

“It will be a great honour to lead the club this season, and fingers crossed we can do really well.

“I am a big talker on the field so I like to help and guide people, especially in stressful situations where I can bring a bit of a calm head which comes with experience.”

With a wealth of top flight experience under his belt, having played 140 times for Salford Red Devils, he will be looking to take some of the burden off Yates’ shoulders.

Adamson added: “He is still really young, and me being there alongside him takes some stress of his shoulders, but at the end of the day he is the general who leads us round the field.

“You want to take some of that burden off Danny, and that is probably why we have gone for co-captains.

“I am hoping to help him along the way; he is a talker anyway so he will not need much guidance but if he does I will be there to help.”

Yates has been with the club on a permanent basis since the 2015 season, featuring 82 times and helping the club to promotion.

He also appeared seven times on dual registration from St Helens in 2013, and feels that being a half back means he is a natural leader on the field.

Yates said: “We had some discussions in pre-season about our plans for the season, and Alan threw in there that he may be thinking about me as a captain.

“He said that although I am still pretty young I have been with him for the last two years, and he feels now may be the right time to make me become a bit of a leader within the team.

“Being a half back I think I am pretty vocal anyway, in terms of getting the team around the field, but I suppose it brings a couple more responsibilities to me because I have to lead by example now.

It is not the first time the former League One Young Player of the Year has captained a side, and he is hoping that this could see his development continue as a player.

He added: “Growing up I was captain of a few sides, so it is not really that alien to me.

“There are quite a few lads who are older than me and a bit more experienced but it is a good step for me, and I am really happy Killer has put that on me and given me the responsibility.

“Hopefully it can help me kick on now, and hopefully I will thrive from being a captain.”

With his co-captain having played at the top level, the young play maker is looking to learn from his more experienced team mate throughout the 2018 season.

He said: “He (Adamson) is quite a lot older and has a lot more experience than me, with some time at Salford in the Super League.

“I can obviously learn a lot from Luke and I am sure he can help me out in some places.

“Since he has come in he has fitted in really well, and between us both I think it makes a good mix for the team.”

Head coach Kilshaw was full of praise for 2017 captain Lewis Palfrey, and explained his decision behind selecting Yates and Adamson to lead his side into the new season.

He said: “We should recognise what a great job Lewis Palfrey did as captain last season.

“With increased family and work commitments we have opted to take some pressure off him this season, and allow him to focus on his own game to further get the best out of him.

“With a 30 plus game season, we have looked at our leadership model and opted for co-captains.

“We have a number of well experienced players in the group to support them, and with those players in the team we will not be having a formal leadership group this season which is a change from the last two seasons.

“Luke has added a lot of experience to the team and is a great leader on and off the field, leading by example at all times.

“For Danny we feel this is the next step in his development as a player.”

“He communicates well and has a pivotal role on the field, and he is a great ambassador for the club off the field.”