T’Other Side: Rochdale Hornets

T’Other Side: Rochdale 

Rochdale Hornets 2018 Shirts

LAST TIME OUT

Head Coach: Alan Kilshaw

Alan Kilshaw became head coach of Rochdale, following Ian Talbot’s departure at the end of the 2015 season. In his first season in the role he guided Rochdale Hornets to promotion from League One and was named as the coach of the year. It came as a considerable surprise to most pundits when Rochdale achieved promotion in the League One play-offs Promotion Final by defeating Toulouse 26-24 in France. It was the only time in the entire season that Toulouse had lost to another League One team. Then, last year, he guided Rochdale to retaining their Championship status even though the pundits had them as favourites for relegation.

Kilshaw began his coaching career with the youth section at Warrington and then had three seasons coaching the Sarina Crocodiles in Australia.

He is making a far greater name for himself as a coach than he did as a player. He started at Saint Helens but never made it into the first team. He made one solitary substitute appearance on loan for Swinton Lions in 2004 and then played 9 games for Blackpool Panthers as either a loose forward or stand off during the 2006 season.

  

Co-Captains: Luke Adamson and Daniel Yates

Luke Adamson is a second row or loose forward who began his career at Salford in 2006 where he remained until 2012. He then spent two years at Halifax and in 2015 he moved to Dewsbury. In May last year he transferred to Oldham and then joined Rochdale for the 2018 campaign. Daniel Yates plays at scrum half. He was in the academy at Saint Helens, making his first grade début with Rochdale on dual registration in 2013. In 2014 he signed for Rochdale and then went on loan to London Skolars. He has been the regular scrum half for Rochdale since 2015. Whilst at Saint Helens he played for the England Academy in 2011.

At the back

Declan Kay plays most often at fullback but he is also used on the wing. He made his début with Rochdale last year and has not played for any other club. This year he is the Hornets second highest try scorer. Richard Lepori signed this year from Oldham where he played for four years. In 2014 he signed for Whitehaven but transferred back to Oldham in July. He has played 6 games for Italian national side. He plays on the wing or at fullback. Rob Massam is a speedy winger with the power of a prop forward. Last season he scored 19 tries for Rochdale tries, no other Rochdale scored more than 8! He is already well ahead in try scoring for them this year. Setareki Talatoka (often known simply as Seta Tala) is a Fijian who plays in either the backs or the 2nd row. He was signed from amateur club Rochdale Mayfield in March. Rochdale have a long tradition of Fijian players which began with the signing of three players in the early 1960s. This connection has led to Rochdale having the largest Fijian community in the UK outside London.

In the halves

Along with co-captain Daniel Yates (see above) is usually Lewis Palfrey. He was in the academy at Salford but began his first grade career with Whitehaven in 2012. The following year he signed for Batley but returned to Whitehaven on loan. In 2013 he joined Oldham where he remained until signing for Rochdale last year. He had been the Rochdale captain but has not played since early April when he was hospitalised with a serious infection resulting from a head injury in a match against Leigh. Recently the other halfback position has been taken by Tyler Whittaker (who has also taken over the goal-kicking duties). He is a former Warrington Academy player who played one game for the Hornets on dual reg last year. He was given a trial with Rochdale this year and was awarded a contract in May.

At Hooker

Since the departure of loanee Jonah Cunningham (the son of Keiron), Billy Brickhill has moved to playing at hooker, most often off the bench. He career began with North Wales in 2016 and in 2017 he played for Gloucestershire All Golds. Ben Moores is a hooker and an occasional loose forward. In 2013 he was signed by South Wales Scorpions from amateur club Woolston Rovers. He returned to the professional game when Rochdale signed him in 2016 and has been their regular hooker since then.

In the Pack

Toby Adamson (the younger brother of Luke) has re-joined Luke after they had been together at Salford and Dewsbury. Between playing for Salford and Dewsbury he spent three seasons with North Wales Crusaders. Second-rower, David Allen, provides the Hornets side with a vast amount of experience. Now 32 years old, he began with Wigan back in 2003 as a teenager. After three years there he joined Widnes but had a two year ban for a drugs transgression. He spent 2009 with Barrow and Oldham and then returned to Widnes in 2010. He has also played for Whitehaven and Workington. He is an Irish international. Also providing a wealth of Super League experience is Lee Mitchell who made his début with Warrington in 2007. In both 2010 and 2011 he made appearances for Leigh on dual reg as well as playing on loan for Harlequins RL in 2011. In 2012 he signed for Castleford and then spent 2013 in Australia playing for Burleigh Bears. On his return he joined Whitehaven, spent 2015 at Batley and the joined Rochdale in 2017. In 2007 he played for the England U18 team. Jovill (Jo) Taira, a powerful prop and renowned for his big hits, joined Hornets from Rochdale Mayfield ARL in 2016. He is another in the line of Fijians to play for Rochdale.

Dual Registration and Loan Players

Rochdale have a dual registration agreement with Warrington and 8 Warrington players have played for them this year. They are Luis Johnson (centre), George King (forward), Toby King (centre), Harvey Livett (loose forward/stand-off and goal kicker), Pat Moran (prop), Dec Patton (halfback), Ben Pomeroy (centre) and Morgan Smith (scrum half). The only one of these who has played regularly is Pat Moran.

They have had players on loan (Jonah Cunningham (Leigh) and Jordan Syme (Halifax) and Earl Hurst is on loan at North Wales.

The Fev connection

There are no former Fev players currently in the Rochdale squad, but Gavin Bennion who was on loan from Warrington in 2014 did play for Rochdale this year on loan from Salford but has now returned

However, Fev have two players who have played for Rochdale. Sam Brooks played four games for them at the beginning of 2015 before moving to Whitehaven. Shaun Robinson played fourteen games for Rochdale in 2014 on loan from Dewsbury.