rabbitohs.net

NEW KIT FOR SALE

We have the new kit for sale at £27.50, If you are interested in purchasing then email me on rabbitohscoach@yahoo.com

SOUTH Humber Rabbitohs chairman Steve Clayton has admitted he will turn down promotion should the club realise its potential and win the Midlands Merit League this season.

The Rabbitohs are now in their fourth year of existence and expect 2009 to be the most fruitful yet thanks to a combination of greater squad depth and playing away games closer to home.

It is likely northern Lincolnshire's only rugby league side will have as many as 30 players to chose from each week after a handful of new faces joined training over the winter and several former first-teamers pledged to return.

The Rabbitohs finished fifth in the 14-team development division last season and would have faired even better had they not had to travel as far away as Crewe for away games.

Players were reluctant or unavailable to make such long journeys but, due to a reorganisation of the league, Leeds will now be their furthest trip.

It means they will take stronger squads on the road and potentially pick up enough extra points to mount a serious title challenge.

However, Clayton, who also manages and coaches the team, says promotion to the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Rugby League Conference would not be in the best interests of the club given its infancy, and will consequently turn it down should the opportunity arise.

"It is the best way to develop rugby league in the area.

"Maybe, in a couple of years' time and if we can get a couple of junior teams set up, we can think about back into the Conference again.

"Things are looking pretty good for the new season.

"We have got a few potential new players showing an interest in joining us and a couple of players who took time out of rugby looking to come back, so hopefully we'll have a strong squad."

The Rabbitohs won the Midlands Merit League in their first season of existence in 2006 and Clayton believes there is no reason the feat cannot be repeated this year.

He added: "We are looking forward to it because, if we put out our strongest squad, we can give a good game to most teams.

"It is more like a proper league this year and some of the teams are from genuine rugby league heartland areas, like Leeds, Dewsbury and Castleford."

The Rabbitohs begin their 2009 campaign away at the Parkside Hawks on May 9.

TRAINING

Training will start in earnest on the first Wednesday in April @ Grimsby rufc @7pm