Super League

Sean Long leaves Featherstone Rovers amid Warrington Wolves link

by
Cam Pattison
August 7, 2023

Amid rumours that former Leeds Rhinos assistant and Hull FC and St Helens star Sean Long is headed to Warrington Wolves as assistant to Sam Burgess, he has been released from his position as Featherstone Rovers head coach.

Long is expected to join the Wolves as assistant coach next year alongside Burgess.

It is a surprising twist that he has been released effective immediately.

It comes following defeat to Halifax Panthers yesterday.

The club released the following statement:

“We can confirm that we have today reached agreement with Head Coach Sean Long to part company with immediate effect.

“The Club has invested significantly this year to ensure that we give ourselves the best possible chance of promotion to Super League in 2023. The changes in rules that come into effect from 2024 make it extremely difficult to reach this goal in future years so we are committed to ensure that we leave no stone unturned in delivering this objective. The Board have backed this ambition by investing in a playing squad of Super League quality and have been disappointed therefore in this season’s team performance against some of our promotion rivals.

”As we reach the countdown to the play-off series, we need to ensure that we maximise the huge potential and high quality of our playing roster and we feel this change will enable us to make the required step up which is required

“We would like to place on record our thanks to Sean Long for his contribution to the Club’s efforts this season and wish him well in the future. We would ask our fans to continue to support the Club in their usual way just as they did in such large numbers at Halifax yesterday, we certainly will need their support in hopefully helping us to get over the line this year

“We have asked Director of Rugby James Ford to take up the Head Coaching role on an interim basis for the remainder of the year along with Ian Hardman, the Club will make a further assessment of whether we need to invest further in our coaching team.”