Rochdale retain quartet

Rochdale Hornets have confirmed four new re-signings as the 2017 squad continues to take shape.

Following the news that backrowers Jono Smith and Josh Crowley have committed to the club, hooker Ben Moores and prop Matty Hadden have signed for the next two seasons along with Danny Yates and Jo Taira.

Moores made the switch from Sarina Crocodiles for the 2016 season with coach Alan Kilshaw.

“I said to Ben that next year will be our fourth season in a row working together, and I did sit down with him and told him I didn’t want him to get stale under me,” Kilshaw admitted.

“I wanted him to feel like he was still improving, that’s the main thing, and he does.

“I think he was under the radar at the start of the year and he was making a lot of inroads around dummy-half, teams are watching him on the video now because of that.

“He does a lot of unknown work though, he organises well and he does a lot of defence and holds us together in the middle.”

Hadden has also penned a deal which will see him remain at the club for the next two seasons.

The Irish international has made 48 appearances over the last two years and Kilshaw feels that he still has room to improve after switching from Rugby Union in 2013.

“He has a long way to go, and he’s got a lot of work to do in his game but he only came to rugby league late and what he has achieved so far is really good.

“He improves and he listens, and with another pre-season under his belt within this regime I think he will go even better next year.”

Yates and Taira complete the quartet, as both have committed to Hornets for the 2017 season, and their coach is delighted to have retained their services.

“I think Danny has ambitions of playing at the highest level and he’s only young, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get in the mix for the young player of the year for our division this year,” Kilshaw said.

“He’s doing well and he’s taking more responsibility for his game.

“He’s developing his long kicking game as well so there’s a lot more to come from Danny.”

“I want Jo to develop his ball handling, sometimes he’s just a bit of a battering ram but he has got a ball playing ability in him as well as a forward and that was something that attracted us to him in the first place.

“He challenges us as coaches on and off the field, but that’s a good thing.

“I think he has really improved and he knows what’s expected at this level now.”