Paul Cooke pleased to prove doubters wrong as Featherstone Rovers reach play-offs
Featherstone Rovers head coach Paul Cooke heaped praise on his players for their outstanding performance in clinching a play-off place with a victory over Oldham in front of their home fans.
In possibly the best display since Cooke took over from James Ford, Featherstone produced a much improved defensive effort and attacked with more clarity to run out fully deserved 28-12 winners over opponents they could meet again in the end of season play-offs to come.
"I thought first half that was as good as we’ve been for a long time,” said Cooke. “The way we turned the ball over and the way we front loaded defensively.
"I’m really pleased with the way the players applied themselves and what we did from practice field to playing field was nice to watch for us.
"If we play like we did in the first half next week or the week after in the play-offs then we’re going to trouble the team that we play, it’s as simple as that.”
Cooke is pleased to have proved some critics wrong by finishing the top six despite a poor start to the campaign had them second from bottom at one stage.
He explained: “I couldn’t be more proud of the group. After eight or nine games when everybody said we couldn’t they have (reached the play-offs).
"I sat in a fans forum probably 10 games in and was asked had we given up on play-offs. I almost fell off my chair and I think the players took it personally when I relayed that to them.
"It says how special they are – not just the players that take the field, but the backroom staff and the volunteers.
"It’s been a really big effort because we’ve been on the end of some stuff. At the beginning of the year we didn’t have halves and no back rowers and we did it really tough.”
Rovers will finish fifth if they can beat Bradford Bulls in their final regular season game at Odsal this Sunday then they would travel to Oldham in the play-offs.
Defeat, allied to a Halifax win in their last game at Doncaster, would mean sixth place and a trip back to Bradford or Toulouse.
"It is what it is. We’re not bothered who we play and where we play them,” added Cooke. “I don’t think many teams will want to play us in the play-offs because when we do get it right we are some team to play against.”