FEATHERSTONE ROVERS coach Paul Cooke reflected on play-off elimination at Bradford, and while hugely disappointed, said his “busted” team did the badge proud.
Already missing influential halfback pairing Ryan Hampshire and Ben Reynolds through a broken arm and suspension respectively, Cooke had to go into the tie minus his two main hookers Connor Jones and Will Jubb.
Both had featured in the previous week’s 22-8 defeat at Bradford in the final round of the regular season.
With prop Jimmy Beckett playing despite carrying an injury, Rovers lost the follow-up 28-8, and Cooke commented: “Even being so busted, we went there believing we could get the win.
“It wasn’t to be, and unfortunately, we got to the big part of the season without our big players in the big positions and having to play people out of their normal positions.
“There were also a few refereeing decisions I found contentious, although I’m not saying that had they gone in our favour, we’d have gone on to win the game, because Bradford were the better team.
“But the lads gave it a real go, and we troubled a good side a few times, and if a few of those who were missing had been out there, we’d have troubled them much more than 28-8.”
Featherstone made the play-offs despite losing six of their first eight league games.
And Cooke, who stepped up from assistant to replace James Ford after the first two two of those matches, continued: “Myself and my staff are proud of the whole group, and they should be proud of themselves.
“They achieved something few people expected them to do or thought they could do, and they produced a mammoth effort.
“There has also been a big input from people behind the scenes and folk in voluntary roles, and I thank them for that, and of course the supporters have also played their part by sticking with us.”