rochdale hornets next season

[E.Thickett]

ref. Cornwall. Yet another game lost were we did not play for 80 minutes. This has happened a lot this season, A question for the owners  .  What are your plans for the next   season? As it   stands we will have the same coaching staff with more of the same.

[glemiln]

…18-12 loss to Cornwall….. Hornets conceding a try/conversion in the very last minute.  A much longer journey home.  
A good result for Cornwall, which may augur well for them next season.

Enjoy the break and hope plans/results for next season bring a much better ending for Hornets.

[ornit4ever]

Without making excuses Hornets were down to just 18 players in the squad as several players were injured, unavailable or recalled from their loan spells. That’s not an easy task for any club to succeed with such  a limited  squad regardless of what coaching and backroom staff we have at present.

[Top hornet]

I totally agree going there without at least 7 first teamers puts it into perspective. 

[E.Thickett]

We have been rubbish all season. Look at the Tables. 

[ornit4ever]

CATALAN lost 0-34…………….look at the tables???

[glemiln]

If it's any compensation, Oldham lost at home to Midlands - but of course Oldham is in the play-offs  = £££ and potential promotion this season.

Next season there is neither promotion nor relegation, but IMG criteria will start to kick-in ready for 2025.

Edited August 27, 2023 by glemiln

[The Lad]

We need some old heads in the squad next season, we have some young players who want to win and don't give up and that's great but we need some players who can control a game and have a little bit of smarts. We started the season pretty aggressive in defense but seemed to lose that edge towards the end and losing the last two games with late tries is disappointing. 

Next year will be tough, we didn't really trouble teams that finished above us and it looks like Newcastle, Swinton, Keighley, Barrow or Whitehaven RLFC will be joining us next season so we need to improve if we want to get into the playoffs.

[Anita Bath]

9 hours ago, Top hornet said:

I totally agree going there without at least 7 first teamers puts it into perspective. 

But the team wasnt much changed from last week.

Certainly 2023 is a year to forget for both football codes in the town.  

We need some light at the end of the tunnel.

[E.Thickett]

 There were 4 changes from the Oldham match

[Anita Bath]

Thats no difference to most Hornets line ups this season….one of the problems might be not having a settled line up. How much of this is due to the reliance on short term loans (dual reg), injuries and the ubiquitous unavailability is not clear.

[E.Thickett]

I agree with you.I did not recognise most of the players this season and unlike you I cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel because I am  still in the dark. This is why I want to know what the club  intend to do differently  next season because if they don't the limited number of supporters will become less

[ormskirknet]

Awful result yesterday….but in truth it matters not, 2023 will go down in the record books as yet another season to forget, sadly we’ve had far too many over the last 3 or 4 years. I see Andy continues to front up and is promising a response next year with retention of the better lads from this year and some experienced additions, I really hope so a winning team is what brings the fans through the door, however I get this has been a planned reset season which in truth hasn’t ended much worse than years when we’ve spent a lot more in the squad, league table is sad to see, but for ‘expansion’ teams we are worst of the lot In professional RL, a sobering thought

in many aspects the club is stronger than ever off the pitch which is good to see. Living out of town I’ve just not been motivated enough to travel and watch home games for a couple of seasons now, I know; shame on me but that’s mostly down to the on field position, a hugely uninspiring coach and squad, short term dual reg players coming in and disappearing again, match day costs, and experience is a long way from where it used to be (half a stand open inly etc) a fan is a fan through thick and thin etc etc I know all that. 

What is without question is the commitment Andy and the board have shown, so we have to trust these guys to deliver next season. What does success look like to me, promotion would be nice, but a winning team and a good play off run would be a start. A better working relationship with out main stakeholders in RAFC and the local RL community (both a two way thing).

2023 done and dusted, I look forward to a much improved 2024.

[RLNewbie]

Ridyard player / assistant coach next season I reckon 

[glemiln]

https://t.co/M2laTfjMpd

Link to Andy Mazey’s end of season message to fans.

Look forward to our future developments and a much improved season in 2024.

Reminder:  next season there is neither promotion to, nor relegation from Championship; also that in 2025 IMG’s “criteria” influences the final outcome of the leagues.

[HornyHornyHorneeet]

8 minutes ago, glemiln said:

https://t.co/M2laTfjMpd

Link to Andy Mazey’s end of season message to fans.

Look forward to our future developments and a much improved season in 2024.

Reminder:  next season there is neither promotion to, nor relegation from Championship; also that in 2025 IMG’s “criteria” influences the final outcome of the leagues.

Thats not true, P&R between Championship and L1 remains unaffected and as normal.

All clubs will be given a grade but grading in terms of P&R will only be relevant between Tiers 1&2.

 

[HornyHornyHorneeet]

21 hours ago, ormskirknet said:

Awful result yesterday….but in truth it matters not, 2023 will go down in the record books as yet another season to forget, sadly we’ve had far too many over the last 3 or 4 years. I see Andy continues to front up and is promising a response next year with retention of the better lads from this year and some experienced additions, I really hope so a winning team is what brings the fans through the door, however I get this has been a planned reset season which in truth hasn’t ended much worse than years when we’ve spent a lot more in the squad, league table is sad to see, but for ‘expansion’ teams we are worst of the lot In professional RL, a sobering thought

in many aspects the club is stronger than ever off the pitch which is good to see. Living out of town I’ve just not been motivated enough to travel and watch home games for a couple of seasons now, I know; shame on me but that’s mostly down to the on field position, a hugely uninspiring coach and squad, short term dual reg players coming in and disappearing again, match day costs, and experience is a long way from where it used to be (half a stand open inly etc) a fan is a fan through thick and thin etc etc I know all that. 

What is without question is the commitment Andy and the board have shown, so we have to trust these guys to deliver next season. What does success look like to me, promotion would be nice, but a winning team and a good play off run would be a start. A better working relationship with out main stakeholders in RAFC and the local RL community (both a two way thing).

2023 done and dusted, I look forward to a much improved 2024.

It would seem the RAFC and Hornets is in a much better place and Matt Rigby our new CEO is a Rochdale lad and very pro RAFC.

Not sure the bitterness and anti Hornets feeling over at Mayfield will ever be overcome though. It pre dates our current owners/ administration and whoever operates their twitter account seems to take great delight in supporting anything or anyone that conflicts with Hornets. Very sad but i do believe Hornets stance has and remains open to working with them. It's a shame common sense cant/ wont prevail for the greater good of sport in Rochdale.

[Athleticgrounds]

19 hours ago, HornyHornyHorneeet said:

It would seem the RAFC and Hornets is in a much better place and Matt Rigby our new CEO is a Rochdale lad and very pro RAFC.

Not sure the bitterness and anti Hornets feeling over at Mayfield will ever be overcome though. It pre dates our current owners/ administration and whoever operates their twitter account seems to take great delight in supporting anything or anyone that conflicts with Hornets. Very sad but i do believe Hornets stance has and remains open to working with them. It's a shame common sense cant/ wont prevail for the greater good of sport in 

I saw one twitter post refer to our defeat at Cornwall as " the worst in our history"..that person clearly didn't attend the 106-0 home defeat by Castleford in the early 2000s.

[Anita Bath]

17 hours ago, Athleticgrounds said:

I saw one twitter post refer to our defeat at Cornwall as " the worst in our history"..that person clearly didn't attend the 106-0 home defeat by Castleford in the early 2000s.

Yes but the opposition was a bit stronger. They did say worst, not largest.

Either way, two days we would like to forget…but thanks for reminding us

[Excolt 1]

A team that’s 152 years old turned up for the game yet a team 20 years old didn’t. IMG take nore

[Anita Bath]

Latest annual accounts now available on line.

They dont paint a pretty picture but they cover the year ending 30 November 2022. They report an annual loss of 137k and that is when we won two play off games. They  do not reflect our annus horribillis (2023)

The only way is up…hopefully.

[HornetsGrey]

22 hours ago, Anita Bath said:

Latest annual accounts now available on line.

They dont paint a pretty picture but they cover the year ending 30 November 2022. They report an annual loss of 137k and that is when we won two play off games. They  do not reflect our annus horribillis (2023)

The only way is up…hopefully.

And there is the challenge.   We are too small a business to need to report the full revenues - but I suspect our losses are as big as our revenue.   For every pound in we lost a further pound.   I might well be wrong.   Workingtons General Manager/CEO was on TV recently and he said he needed 1400 fans every game to break even and he was struggling to cover the gap as attendances weren't there.   Granted they have a stadium to maintain, but we are in a worse position if we need the directors to stump up 50% of our income.   So how can the club focus on improving matters - it is a big ask to ask the directors to stump up that level of cash each season.  At some point they will stop.    Matt Rigby has a massive challenge on his hands - but pleased he is trying to make friends rather than enemies in his quest to improve things.  

[glemiln]

23 hours ago, Anita Bath said:

They report an annual loss of 137k and that is when we won two play off games

And on another distant planet……”The Premier League’s first £2bn transfer window concluded last night…..and a £200m cliff-hanger ending that was suitably Saudi-themed. Welcome to a new era in English football’s top flight, where £100m is the new going rate for elite midfielders…..”.

More important, in contrast, on the main forum is discussion of the new book“Hope and Glory: Rugby League in Thatcher's Britain”.

We have to hope that clubs below Super League, especially in League 1, are totally involved in and by IMG under their 12 year plans. 
A second edition of “Tides of History” will be interesting reading, for those still around!

Meanwhile, good luck for a better new season.

[Athleticgrounds]

4 hours ago, glemiln said:

And on another distant planet……”The Premier League’s first £2bn transfer window concluded last night…..and a £200m cliff-hanger ending that was suitably Saudi-themed. Welcome to a new era in English football’s top flight, where £100m is the new going rate for elite midfielders…..”.

More important, in contrast, on the main forum is discussion of the new book“Hope and Glory: Rugby League in Thatcher's Britain”.

We have to hope that clubs below Super League, especially in League 1, are totally involved in and by IMG under their 12 year plans. 
A second edition of “Tides of History” will be interesting reading, for those still around!

Meanwhile, good luck for a better new season.

Pity Thatcher isn't around today, however divisive she was, she wouldn't have put up with the shambles of a country we have today

[HornyHornyHorneeet]

On 01/09/2023 at 10:27, Anita Bath said:

Latest annual accounts now available on line.

They dont paint a pretty picture but they cover the year ending 30 November 2022. They report an annual loss of 137k and that is when we won two play off games. They  do not reflect our annus horribillis (2023)

The only way is up…hopefully.

It would seem a pretty common theme in the sport at the moment https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/super-league-clubs-ranked-by-their-2022-financial-losses-st-helens-2nd-wigan-5th-hull-9th

This would explain why we had to massively reduce the playing budget for 2023 and make the changes we did and and reset this year which has been well documented.