| Rochdale Online report 16:51 - Jul 21 with 2205 views | BigKindo |
Rugby league: forthcoming Rochdale Hornets v Workington Town clash postponed after Hornets players and staff contract Covid
Date published: 21 July 2021
Rochdale Hornets logo
This weekend’s home clash between Rochdale Hornets and Workington Town has been postponed after a number of Hornets players and staff have contracted Covid-19.
A total of 11 players and three staff have all tested positive for Covid-19 at different times over the course of the last 10 days. Initially, three players tested positive, and one was ruled out as a close contact ahead of the West Wales game on 10 July.
A further seven players this week have reported symptoms and tested positive.
Due to the 10-day isolation period and the seven-day return to play protocols, Hornets are unable to field a team for the next home fixture. Under RFL regulations, the club meets the requirements to request that the Workington Town game be postponed.
Chief Executive Steve Kerr said: “We take our commitment to player and staff welfare very seriously and have reported all our cases to the RFL and local PHE.
“All of our staff and players are doing OK and will be monitored by our excellent medical team as we support them in their recovery. Clearly, this is a difficult situation, society is opening back up and Covid-19 infection rates are on the rise.
“Our robust protocols and processes are however working, we haven’t had a single lateral flow positive test when players arrive for training, and all the positive tests are a result of community transmission.
“As a precautionary measure, we made the decision to shut down training environment until 22 July when some players will restart their return to play programmes.”
The club hopes to re-arrange the fixture before the end of the season.
Fans who have booked tickets will be able to carry their booking forward to the re-arranged game or request a refund via tickets@hornetsrugbyleague.com. |  | | |  |
| Rochdale Online report on 17:41 - Jul 21 with 2088 views | EllDale |
Slightly worrying as they’ve had a couple of home games recently. |  | | |
| Rochdale Online report on 20:28 - Jul 21 with 1885 views | Dalenet |
| Rochdale Online report on 17:41 - Jul 21 by EllDale |
Slightly worrying as they’ve had a couple of home games recently. |
To be fair, rugby is a closer contact sport. If many players have young kids they probably can't do much about it. Football will still have its challenges too.
Its not just the players that have a risk. Sitting close to others in the stadium is still a risk - as the data from the UEFA games suggest. Tesco wants you to still wear masks, Norton Grange hotel wants you to still wear a mask whilst walking around the hotel, Hornets was still trying to sell seats this weekend with social distancing, RAFC has decided we can all be bunched up in a stadium with 10,000 seats. Who do we trust? | | | |
| Rochdale Online report on 20:53 - Jul 21 with 1836 views | D_Alien |
Just as an aside, the comment "the club HOPES to re-arrange the fixture before the end of the season" is a new one, no doubt given the circumstances (the new normal)
It's usually "the club will advertise the date when the fixture has been re-arranged" |  |
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| Rochdale Online report on 20:56 - Jul 21 with 1825 views | 442Dale |
There’s going to be plenty of space in the ground next season, can’t remember such low crowds for friendlies as the last couple. Like it or not, there’s a good amount of our fanbase who want to turn up with cash and pay at a turnstile, add in any other parts to the process and it immediately will see people not want to bother, and there’s enough reasons already.
In the ground though, the Sandy will be fine for social distancing all season long. Plus, the club could remove the need for people to sit in a set seat (season ticket seats excluded). |  |
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| Rochdale Online report on 21:11 - Jul 21 with 1792 views | boromat |
| Rochdale Online report on 20:56 - Jul 21 by 442Dale |
There’s going to be plenty of space in the ground next season, can’t remember such low crowds for friendlies as the last couple. Like it or not, there’s a good amount of our fanbase who want to turn up with cash and pay at a turnstile, add in any other parts to the process and it immediately will see people not want to bother, and there’s enough reasons already.
In the ground though, the Sandy will be fine for social distancing all season long. Plus, the club could remove the need for people to sit in a set seat (season ticket seats excluded). |
Think it might take a while to build up the attendance figures again. Hoping I'm wrong and it's just that people are on staycations etc at the moment and they'll be all back for the first game. Unfortunately I think your points are correct and it'll take awhile to either get those fans back or get new fans in. Also when people are more confident going to crowded places we may see a few more return. | |
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| Rochdale Online report on 21:28 - Jul 21 with 1758 views | D_Alien |
| Rochdale Online report on 20:56 - Jul 21 by 442Dale |
There’s going to be plenty of space in the ground next season, can’t remember such low crowds for friendlies as the last couple. Like it or not, there’s a good amount of our fanbase who want to turn up with cash and pay at a turnstile, add in any other parts to the process and it immediately will see people not want to bother, and there’s enough reasons already.
In the ground though, the Sandy will be fine for social distancing all season long. Plus, the club could remove the need for people to sit in a set seat (season ticket seats excluded). |
There may well be plenty of occasional fans, perhaps also not on the emailing list, who'll be completely unaware of the need for an e-ticket. They'll only need to turn up once and not get in to be put out for a long time
Not sure how the club can reach out to them. Local adverts would only go so far
I'd be inclined to suggest the club make allowances for anyone turning up at the last minute, especially if a bigger than usual gate is expected, by having staff at turnstiles able to direct those with cash to the club office and with a friendly manner | |
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| Rochdale Online report on 21:34 - Jul 21 with 1732 views | pioneer |
| Rochdale Online report on 20:53 - Jul 21 by D_Alien |
Just as an aside, the comment "the club HOPES to re-arrange the fixture before the end of the season" is a new one, no doubt given the circumstances (the new normal)
It's usually "the club will advertise the date when the fixture has been re-arranged" |
4 other games already off this weekend in RL and the leaguetables are already based on % not points. | | | |
| Rochdale Online report on 21:37 - Jul 21 with 1726 views | pioneer |
| Rochdale Online report on 20:56 - Jul 21 by 442Dale |
There’s going to be plenty of space in the ground next season, can’t remember such low crowds for friendlies as the last couple. Like it or not, there’s a good amount of our fanbase who want to turn up with cash and pay at a turnstile, add in any other parts to the process and it immediately will see people not want to bother, and there’s enough reasons already.
In the ground though, the Sandy will be fine for social distancing all season long. Plus, the club could remove the need for people to sit in a set seat (season ticket seats excluded). |
The allocated seating is important for contact tracing identifying those who were in the immediate vicinity of someone who is found to have covid. | | | |
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| Rochdale Online report on 21:51 - Jul 21 with 1690 views | 442Dale |
| Rochdale Online report on 21:37 - Jul 21 by pioneer |
The allocated seating is important for contact tracing identifying those who were in the immediate vicinity of someone who is found to have covid. |
But that doesn’t happen in the Sandy. And is that really something that track and trace will do? Ring up football clubs to ask for their seating plans? That’s where they’re relying on individuals to make their contacts and the app.
When someone sits on a bus/train they don’t have the names of everyone sat around them. | |
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| Rochdale Online report on 22:57 - Jul 21 with 1579 views | pioneer |
| Rochdale Online report on 21:51 - Jul 21 by 442Dale |
But that doesn’t happen in the Sandy. And is that really something that track and trace will do? Ring up football clubs to ask for their seating plans? That’s where they’re relying on individuals to make their contacts and the app.
When someone sits on a bus/train they don’t have the names of everyone sat around them. |
No, its impractical to allocate seats on local buses, but where it is practical then it can be used to focus tracking on those in the immediate vicinity, whether it be on airlines, theatres or sports stadia.
Its all a matter of managing risk...not something that we have been particularly good at it appears. | | | |
| Rochdale Online report on 12:22 - Jul 22 with 1264 views | EllDale |
I see that we have now sold 1400 season cards which isn't bad under the circumstances.
Does anyone know how many were sold in total in 2019/2020 and 2020/2021?
On reflection the biggest hit on attendances may be the lack of away support with the obvious exceptions like Bradford City and Oldham.
In fact, it might cost money to open the Willbutts Stand when the likes of Crawley and Stevenage are the visitors. | | | |
| Rochdale Online report on 14:16 - Jul 22 with 1173 views | boromat |
| Rochdale Online report on 12:22 - Jul 22 by EllDale |
I see that we have now sold 1400 season cards which isn't bad under the circumstances.
Does anyone know how many were sold in total in 2019/2020 and 2020/2021?
On reflection the biggest hit on attendances may be the lack of away support with the obvious exceptions like Bradford City and Oldham.
In fact, it might cost money to open the Willbutts Stand when the likes of Crawley and Stevenage are the visitors. |
Yes just seen that 1400 isn't horrendous in the circumstances and maybe attendances won't be as bad as we think.
I think we normally have around 2000 season ticket holders so we're a bit off that yet but there are a few weeks to go. This year might be one where the half season ticket at Christmas would be a good idea again. | |
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