Captain's message ahead of Round 1 opener

Rochdale Hornets captain Duane Straugheir says the squad are ready to get stuck into the new Betfred League 1 season, which begins this Sunday against Keighley Cougars.

The Hornets have already played a number of cup matches in anticipation of the new league season, booking their place in the 1895 Cup first round proper with a hard-fought victory over Swinton Lions at the Crown Oil Arena last weekend. 

In Round 1, the Hornets will host a Keighley side that also made the play-offs last season. 

It promises to be an intriguing opener for both clubs, but for Hornets captain Straugheir, Sunday will give the squad the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their labour after a demanding pre-season regime. 

"The boys are buzzing for it,” he said.

"We've had a really good pre-season. The games we've played have been tough, and everything's been competitive. 

"Having tough run-outs and testing ourselves against quality opposition will definitely stand us in good stead going into Round 1. 

"We've used the last few games to our advantage, to see where we're at as a group. Being able to put a decent performance in against Championship opposition in the Challenge Cup is only going to bring good things, and it shows that we can compete with top sides at this level and the level above.

"Gary Thornton, Andy Mazey and the rest of the backroom team have put a really good squad together this year. There's a bit of youth blended with some experience, but the difference this year is that the young players who've come in have really stepped up in training and taken responsibility out on the field.

"That gives some of the more experienced guys - people like myself - the freedom to play our own game. 

"This year, the fans are going to see some players really stand up and be counted, which will be massive for us as the year progresses. 

“It's going to be a really competitive league this year and every team has an opportunity to step up. We'll just focus on what we can control, and that starts with a win in Round 1 against Keighley.”

The two sides met four times last season - on three occasions during the regular league season, and once in the play-offs.

Of their three regular season games, the pair both tasted victory at the Crown Oil Arena, with their meeting at Cougar Park ending in a thrilling 20-20 draw.

Having both fallen to promoted Hunslet in the play-offs, Straugheir is expecting the Cougars to come out firing, like the Hornets, as both teams look to start their league campaign on the front foot. 

Looking ahead to Sunday’s game, he added: "We've played hard and trained hard during our pre-season games, and Keighley have done the same.

"It's going to be really interesting. They'll be backing themselves coming to us, and we'll be quietly confident as well, so it's going to be a really entertaining clash which I'm sure the fans will enjoy.”