Top-six finish for Hoppers is Orwin’s target as season kicks off
Preston Grasshoppers launch the new season with back-to-back home games.
The first of them is against Billingham, who – like Hoppers – had to wait until their final game of the 2024/25 campaign to secure their place in National League Two North.
In the end, they finished next to bottom, one place below Hoppers.
With Darlington Mowden Park, Macclesfield, Scunthorpe and Rossendale new to the league this year, Hoppers head coach Dan Orwin says it’s hard to predict how things will develop, but he is targeting a top-six finish.
“I’d be really happy with that,” he said. “The lads have trained strongly for 10 or 11 weeks and we have recruited well.
“We have such a strong squad, with some very talented new players, that there are going to be disappointments when the squad for Saturday is announced.”
That line-up includes newcomers Ben Corless, from Blackburn, an experienced prop, Lancashire No.8 Tom Ailes and, on the bench, half-back Louis Singleton and threequarter Billy Glover. Josh Longson is the new skipper.
Both sides won at home last season, Billingham prevailing 29-19 and Hoppers 48-22.
Hoppers’ second successive home game, next week, is the local derby with Fylde, who kick off tomorrow at home to Hull Ionians.
The Humbersiders finished last season in seventh, three places behind Fylde, who won two close encounters, 36-32 away and 31-27 at home.
Among the new faces at Ansdell this term are locks Will Greenwood, from Garstang, and Ben Walton, from Billingham, scrum-half Gabe Maguire, from Rossendale, and back Danny Cassidy, from a famous Wigan rugby league family. Will Hunt, the former Hoppers and Fylde fly-half returns to the Woodlands from Sale.
After their success in the Lancashire Cup last weekend, Vale of Lune start their Regional Two North West campaign at home to Firwood Waterloo, who ended last season two places above them, in second.
Vale lost all three clashes last term, 22-36 and 20-21 in the league and 17-36 in the cup.
Andy Powers has retired and Jordan Fern has committed to the lower sides, but lock Joe Compton and threequarter Jamie Mayall are set to make their league debuts tomorrow.
Hoppers: Keohane; Freeman, Russell, M Maher, Haigh; Smith, Brand; Corless, Holden, Kyle-Clay, Castle, E Causey, Richardson, Longson, Ailes. Replacements: Parkinson, Norrington, Willetts, Glover, Singleton. Vale: Ramwell; Macfarlane; Mayall, Hall, Leighton; Finan, Batty; Fowler, Mount, Bradshaw, Sutcliffe, Compton, Ayrton, S Wallbank, Abdelghafir. Replacements: Pillow, Busby, Oyston.