Featherstone Rovers boss James Ford excited by his quality and well balanced squad for 2025

After financial difficulties made the 2024 campaign a tricky one on and off the pitch for Rovers a new regime headed up by Paddy Handley has stabilised the club.

Ford has been backed to deliver an improved season and expects to be challenging for honours with the squad he has been able to assemble.

He said: “The challenges of last year are well documented, but it’s a new season, a new era and there’s lots to be excited about.

"We’ve put a squad together – not a team, not a 13. There’s 26 players at the minute and I don’t know what the best 17 is, which is good.

"The players have got to compete and fight really hard to get in the 17 and then fight hard to stay in it.

"The helps us drive up standards through the week and I’m very confident we’ll see much improved performances on the weekend.”

Ford is pleased with the balance of the squad with plenty of experienced players to help the younger ones along.

He explained: “The age profile of the squad is balanced. Just about a third of the squad are in their early 20s, young men coming into the game or into the country, and we believe there’s lots of improvement in them.

"I’m really excited about the potential of some of them players and the journey we can go on with them.

"We’ve got a third of the squad in their peak years if that’s a thing these days. In their late 20s and I’m really looking forward to them nailing their performances week in, week out.

"Then we’ve got a third of the squad in their early 30s, Danny Addy being the oldest and he’s not an old man by any stretch. Their experience will be invaluable.

"It’s also balanced positionally. For example, we’ve got four centres, three back rowers and four halves – who gets the shirts they decide."

Ford is refusing to make predictions, but promised fans they will have a team to get behind.

He added: “Obviously individually and as a coaching team we have spoken about what we feel we can achieve. But we have got a quality squad, I’ve got quality staff around me and we’re going to leave no stone unturned – we are really going after this season.”