Hornets can turn corner insists Kilshaw
ROCHDALE Hornets head coach Alan Kilshaw remains confident that his side can turn a corner and improve in the coming weeks.
Hornets suffered a 30-15 defeat to London Broncos last weekend, leaving them second bottom of the Championship table having lost eight of their nine games.
Up next for them is a break from league action as they head to Whitehaven in the Challenge Cup, and Kilshaw still has faith in his side.
“I’m not concerned at this stage of the year. If we can fix some little things then we can beat these full time teams,” he said.
“We’ve had a difficult period and I don’t think anybody has had it as hard as us. We’ve had Featherstone, Leigh, London Broncos, Toronto before that and Sheffield mixed it too, so we’ve had it tough, but we’re past that run now and onto the next phase.
“The effort was there against London but we should have started the second half better as they were there for the taking.”
One player who won’t be available for Hornets this wee is Ryan Maneely, after the hooker parted ways with the club.
“Ryan leaves with our best wishes. He has been a big part of the club for the last three years and played a huge part in us winning League 1 in 2016 and then retaining our Championship status in 2017,” said Kilshaw.
“Unfortunately he has become a victim of his own success off the field having started his own business as a landscape gardener. He’s found it increasingly difficult to balance both work and rugby league and he was honest enough to come to me and say he just isn’t enjoying it any more.
“We have a ready-made replacement for Ryan in Declan Gregory who has featured heavily over the last couple of months.
“I’m really impressed with how his game has developed since linking up with us and I have every confidence in him taking us forward.”
Callum Mulkeen and Aiden Hema have also left Hornets in order to find new clubs after the duo found first team opportunities limited.
Meanwhile, Lewis Palfrey has been discharged from hospital following a week of treatment after the illness he suffered in the Championship clash against Leigh Centurions.
Palfrey was suffering with periorbital cellulites after cutting his head against Leigh, but he says he is hopefully now on the mend.
“I’ve still got some swelling around my eyes and nose and I’ve been given five days’ worth of anti-biotics to keep tackling the infection,” he said.
“I will have to go back this week for a check on my vision, and back again the week after to check the infection is under control.
“I would just like to thank the Hornets fans and fans from other clubs across rugby league who have sent their well wishes. Myself and my family have been touched by the amount of messages we received, there are too many to reply to individually, but thank you to everyone.”