Brods well beaten by league leaders
On Saturday, for the first time in 2025 first team rugby returned to Woodhead after postponed games due to frost. This coincided with a pre-arranged former players lunch attended by well over 100 guests, who were in good spirits and looking forward eagerly to a good game of rugby against respected rivals and table toppers Rochdale.

Although Brods were without a clutch of influential players including recent withdrawals Dunne, Kelly and Murphy, along with long term absentees Dom Georgiou and Stapley, they fielded a strong looking side welcoming the return of the Heseltine brothers, experienced Chris Georgiou, Imiolek and the popular evergreen, Rob Jennings, like Frank Sinatra, on the comeback trail again.

On a crisp and bitterly cold afternoon Rochdale commenced proceedings kicking off down the slope. Brods collected tidily and drove upfield but an infringement led to a Dale kick to the left hand side took play to 5m from the Brods line. From the line, quick hands took play from one side of the field to the other forcing another Dale penalty. Again, the Brods appeared to hold out but shortly after, impressive passing sent Rochdale winger, Hesketh, clear to race in from 30m. Converted by Collins, 0-7 to the visitors after 5 minutes.

From the restart Brods collected and were expansive but Rochdale were quicker to settle and again forced the home side back to their line where ascendant Rochdale moved the ball across their back line, and experienced fly half Collins kicked cross field with pin point accuracy to winger Hesketh who raced over again for a fine try. An immaculate conversion by Collins took the score to 0-14 after 9 minutes and the Brods were looking down the barrel of a heavy defeat.

However, at the kick off Brods caught the kick direct and drove upfield. Captain Craven was leading by example and good pressure by the Brods forced a scrum some 30 meters out. The ball was picked up at the back of the scrum by Cam Wroot and fed to the blind side where a long kick by Barron was chased down by our own young speedster Jacob Grierson who forced a fumble from the Rochdale wing and scored a fine try, Conversion missed 5-14 after 14 minutes.

Both sides were playing an open game moving the ball across their respective back line with speed but Brods were making too many mistakes to launch a sustained period of pressure. Rochdale on the other hand were fast and impressive and it was no surprise they scored again through one of their speedy wingers from a scrum after 16 minutes, once more converted by the reliable Collins taking the score to 5-21. The young Dale winger was injured in the process of scoring and was replaced after what looked like an unfortunate collision, which caused some disruption with handbags being exchanged by both teams.
From the kick off Brods surged upfield once more with Craven and Cal Hesletine prominent. Fast hands moved the ball across field from left to right before big Lee Imiolek spotted a gap and powered through for a fine try, the Kemp conversion taking the score to 12-21 after 21 minutes.

At this point it seemed that Brods were back in the game but mistakes continued to be made which disrupted their continuity whereas Rochdale were more clinical. After 30 minutes the Brods props were replaced with Imiolek sustaining an injury and Ashton given a breather after a hard working display thus far. Dale continued to press and after further penalties were over for their 4th and bonus point try after 35 minutes. Another Immaculate conversion from Collins and shortly afterwards a penalty taking the score to 12- 31 after 40 minutes. Although the Brods forced the game in the final minutes of the first half with Hodkinson’s fine 30-70 kick to touch catching the eye, no further points were added.

From the Brods perspective it had been a frustrating first half. A penalty count of 3-15 against, not to mention free kicks, was a significant factor in the scoreline at half time. Needless to say it is difficult to win games against any opposition with that statistic let alone against Rochdale, a team in a fine vein of form and favourites for promotion.

The second half commenced with the Brods forcing the game and a penalty kick took play into the visitors’ 20m line. However, it was business as usual for the visitors who quickly settled in and fine back play enabled them to cross for another try to the left side. Another conversion made the score 12-38 after 45 minutes. It was all Rochdale at this point who were giving the substantial crowd an exhibition of open football. Brods were responding periodically typified by a Jennings break which did not quite work for them when on another day it would. But relentless Rochdale attacking play saw another try from their backs after 52 minutes, converted by Collins. 12-45 after 52 minutes.

Rochdale continued to assert their authority and on 60 minutes a bemused Cam Wroot was harshly yellow carded for what appeared to be picking up the ball in an offside position, after which quick passing and superior numbers enabled Rochdale winger to score again in the upfield left hand corner. Surprisingly the Rochdale kicking automaton missed the conversion, albeit difficult, but Dale had reached the half century at this stage 12-50 after 61 minutes.

To their credit the Brods had no intention of giving up and renewed their intent to give a good account of themselves. Following a scrum on the halfway line Barron kicked through to the Rochdale line. The ball was won back by the Brods and good back play with Georgiou and Doug Heseltine prominent, led to Chris Georgiou making a long pass to winger Ethan Wroot who sprinted in at the corner. Conversion missed and 17-50 after 68 minutes.

At this point Rochdale were tiring and for the first time, if a little late, the Brods were in complete control. On 70 minutes Cam Wroot returned to the fray and as if he had a point to prove made a couple of strong drives before powering over for an individual try with the tiring Rochdale backs in disarray, earning a 4th try bonus point. A scruffy Kemp conversion took the score to 24-50 on 75 minutes and shortly afterwards with the Brods forwards in the ascendancy Joe Sealey broke through to score another fine individual try, which was converted by young Kemp 31-50.

Brods were not finished yet and in the closing minutes of the game the home forwards, dominant at this stage, camped on the Rochdale line. To their credit the tenacious Dale forwards held their line, but on another day after 5 consecutive penalties to the home side at a scrum 5 metres out, a penalty try could have been awarded which would have given a more respectable look to the score line, but the final whistle blew giving Rochdale a well-deserved victory of 31-50, the immaculate kicking of the Rochdale number10 impacting the margin of victory.

Although disappointing the Brods can take plenty of positives from the game. They have much more of a strength in depth than in previous seasons with youngsters Kemp. Ethan Wroot and Grierson showing well in the backs. In the forwards Cam Wroot has worked hard at his fitness and had an excellent game and was well supported by the tireless Cal Heseltine along with the ever-dependable Elliott Craven. As for the visitors, for a couple of seasons now they have, in my opinion, been the best team to watch in this division and if it happens will be the deserving champions at the end of the season.