Rochdale Hornets have secured the services of ex Warrington and Wakefield winger Chris Riley for 2016 with the option to extend for a further year.
Riley, 27, won successive Challenge Cup’s with Warrington in 2009 and 2010 beating Huddersfield and Leeds respectively. The Wolves then returned to Wembley in 2012 when they made light work of Leeds again sweeping them aside 35 points to Leeds’ 18. Riley managed to get his name on the score sheet.
Riley’s impressive final appearance rate continued, however he was on the losing side for Warrington in two Super League Grand Finals in 2012 and 2013.
He left Warrington at the end of the 2014 season and signed for Wakefield Wildcats who struggled in Super League and found themselves in the Middle 8’s and subsequently faced Bradford in the Million Pound game.
Alan Kilshaw and Riley have crossed paths previously when Kilshaw spent time coaching at Warrington and he is pleased with securing his services at Hornets “We’re delighted, there are players playing in Super League, especially wingers, who aren’t as good as Chris”
“He’s made a massive difference in terms of what he’s passing on to the young blokes and he’s a senior player now which perhaps he hasn’t been in the past.”
After leaving Wakefield, Riley admitted to being left in limbo with what the future held for him but he thanked Kilshaw and the club for the opportunity and ultimately their patience with him seeking employment away from the game. “Alan has been great for me, he’s been patient and waited for the opportunity to get me on board so I thank him for that and the club as well for being patient until I got a job sorted”
He admits there are going to be differences in playing full time professional Rugby League and playing part time at a semi-professional level for Hornets, “It’s a new challenge that I look forward too but it’s going to be a testing one over the next couple of months getting used to full time work then going into a part time environment but Rugby League comes natural to me and obviously I’ve a lot of experience from the work I’ve done over the last ten years”
Mark Wynn, Rochdale Hornets Chairman, is happy with the signing of Riley as well, “It is a bit of a cliché but we are over the moon. Kudos to Alan for the work he’s done getting a player of Chris’ caliber involved and to Ryan, our CEO for getting this deal over the line”.
State of Mind would like to wish Chris all the best at his new club