Neil Kelly praises Cornwall RLFC’s open trials
Picture courtesy of Patrick Tod/Cornwall RLFC.
Cornwall RLFC head coach Neil Kelly has hailed the club’s recent open player trials.
The club continues to prepare for its inaugural campaign in League 1.
Rugby league’s newly established club will enter League 1 for the 2022 season. The club has so far announced three signings, including Grand Final winner and Ireland international Anthony Mullally.
Local players Sam Gilder and Henry Symons are the two other signings, with more to come following the trials.
Over 30 players attended the session that took place on Sunday, January 9. There was a late change of venues to Treviglas Sports Hub, Newquay. The trials were originally set to take place at the Memorial Ground in Penryn – the club’s home base for the forthcoming campaign. But heavy rain forced the move.
Neil Kelly pleased with standard of open trials
“First and foremost the trial was a good exercise for us as staff of Cornwall RLFC,” Kelly told the club website.
“We have had one or two curveballs thrown at us and as a club we have dealt with it really professionally.
“As for the trial itself, I was very pleased with the standard and spirit of players that took part. It has given me a lot a material and thoughts to work with as well.
“I will go away and analyse the video from the trial.
“That process is going to be a bit longer than I anticipated because we saw so many positive performances from the players. We can’t take everybody. Even the players that are unlucky in that respect, I think they can be proud of the effort and performance that they put in.
“The ones that we can go forward with, they have laid a good foundation for their careers.”
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Local talent the goal for Cornwall RLFC
During the off-season, the club made a commitment to recruiting Cornish players in its inaugural season, promising to sign at least 10.
“Our project is all about growing rugby league in Cornwall. And getting a presence for rugby league in Cornwall,” said Kelly.
“It was never going to be the case that we were going to build a team of 25 northern lads and train them at a sports centre in Featherstone, then bus them down to Cornwall.
“The trial has given me confidence that coming to Cornwall was the right thing to do because I have seen local players with a lot of talent. It has very much given me food for thought.”