Season 1969/70

Victory over eventually champions St Helens in November

Another top 8 finish but once gain Rovers failed to progress beyond the second round of the championship play offs.  In the Challenge Cup, Rovers drew a plum home tie against big spending Salford but couldn’t reproduce the cup form of yesteryear and lost 2-7.  For the first time since 1957 Rovers weren’t in the draw for the second round.  There was greater success in the Yorkshire Cup, making the final only to lose 12-9 to Hull in front of a crowd of 11,089 at Headingley.

Dave Hartley had a great season topping the try scoring for the second successive season and playing in every game (as did Steve Nash).  Cyril Kellett broke his leg in January and rookie 17 year old full back Harold Box set a Rovers record by kicking 6 goals on debut.  Jimmy Thompson and Steve Nash were getting recognition as world class players.  Thompson was selected for the 1970 tour to Australia and New Zealand with Nash unlucky not to be selected as well.  Arnie Morgan and Malcolm Dixon were still doing the business in the pack. Stan Nicholson in his benefit year, in a career hampered by injuries, once again suffered injury woes.