Featherstone: Unacceptable performances mean we owe our fans big

George Riley
Featherstone Rovers

Featherstone coach Ian Hardman says the players owe their fans a performance this weekend after holding some “tough conversations” after losing at home to Batley.

Brian McDermott’s men suffered a first home defeat of the season to an impressive Bulldogs side, falling further adrift of promotion favourites Leigh to whom they have also lost twice in the last month.

“We have a quality team and to see them underperform is very frustrating,” Hardman told Rovers TV.

“The thing that is unacceptable for us is playing a lot below the standards that we have set – that we have set for them as coaches and that the players have set for themselves.”

The untimely run of poor form has prompted some soul searching and hard discussions between players and coaching staff according to Hardman, who has backed the team to bounce back against Newcastle at Post Office Road on Sunday.

“There is plenty to learn from and we have done that this week. Nothing has been brushed under the carpet and there have been tough conversations that have been had. But there has been some real good work done too. 

“We can’t just ignore it. We have to do something about it and put some work in. I think over the course of the season you just have to accept there are going to be some low points in the season. You just have it make sure they don’t define you, you have to bounce back and that is the true test of a team.

“This is a big week for us to bounce back against Newcastle. I think we owe our fans a bit of a performance as they will be as disappointed if not more so than the squad so we owe them something and I hope we can repay them.”

Featherstone skipper on ‘honest conversations’

Captain James Lockwood added that Rovers’ miserable month of June has not affected the club’s hopes of a Grand Final win to secure a first ever promotion to Super League. Leigh now lead the way by three points ahead of the next meeting at Summer Bash.

“I don’t think it has knocked our confidence. I think it has probably given us a bit of a shock and a realisation that we have to work a bit harder now,” he says.

“There have been some honest conversations and nobody has held back on each other. We can’t wait for this week now and that’s the great thing about rugby. If you have an off week you get to put it right the week after. We need to get it right this week. Hopefully we can get a good crowd in and put on a show.”

Championship Featherstone Rovers