Players from all three senior sides, members, supporters and sponsors came together to reflect on the season and to find out the winners of various awards.

Guest speaker Ted Wood, the long-time and very successful Durham University coach talked about his upbringing in South Yorkshire, including his debut for Barnsley 1st XV at 14 years of age and being kept out of the Barnsley Cricket Club’s first team by Geoff Boycott, Dickie Bird and Michael Parkinson. Ted moved on to attend London University and play for Blackheath, Wakefield and Sheffield before becoming involved with Durham University.

Ted had strong view about the transition to league rugby and its impact upon not only clubs, but also the universities who found themselves excluded. He had fond memories of his visits to Rovers and paid tribute to the hard work being undertaken by the club, its coaches and players to return the club to a higher standing and congratulated the successful U17’s side on their achievements.

The third team, Ian Smith said, had had a good season and the side continued to develop as a team and to provide competitive rugby for senior players and those just starting out in rugby. Players had moved up to the other sides and that was a good thing.

Most Improved Player: Dash Hogg

Player of the Year: Michael Foster

Graham Puckrin of the Heughers’ coaching staff said that the side had recorded some excellent wins, notably over Horden and Billingham, and after a slow start to the season the team had come back well under ‘volunteer’ captain Danny Baxter. As with the thirds, players had been given the chance to move up a level.

Most Improved Player: Ben Little

Player of the Year: Dave Gregory

Players’ Player of the Year: Danny Baxter

Player-coach Alan Brown looked back on what he thought was ultimately a good season for the 1st XV. The season had started and ended well but there had been a mid-season poor run. Much of this, he thought, was down to a slipping of fitness and maybe the feeling that the good start had made the side think they had just to turn up to win. The warning signs had appeared at Novocastrians and the defeat at Guisborough had been a reality check.

The fitness and commitment levels had to be in place and the buy-in of everyone was needed for this to happen. Players from the Heughers, 3rd XV and U17’s had been given 1st XV opportunities and more players would be given a chance next season. That was not to ignore the current squad that was largely a young one and there should be many good seasons ahead if the side developed and, when the time was right, returned Rovers to North One.

Most Improved Player: Anthony Hanley

Player of the Year: Stewart Grazier

Captain Jonny Cushlow also gave his review of the season and followed this with the presentation of some ‘informal’ awards.

Ian Kelly then provided an overview of the season and said that although 4th spot was probably about right, Rovers had done the double over the side immediately above them Stockton. The disappointing defeats at the likes of Acklam, Guisborough and Ponteland were partly due to the performance on the day and the inability to cope with teams playing well above themselves to try and beat Rovers.

The team had shown it could compete with higher placed teams such as West Hartlepool, Alnwick and Middlesbrough and the season’s stats of 30 games, 101 tries and 758 points compared well to the club’s first year back in North One and its previous promotion campaigns and so the side was not too far off the mark. The importance of try and losing bonus points was also stressed as was the strength and depth that the use of 45 players showed.

Lauren Kelly handed out the Supporters’ Player of the Season Awards.

Joint third place: James Evens

James has just completed his first season in the White Shirt. Showing outstanding commitment and attitude and is an attribute to the side. His tactics and quick-thinking had improved the team’s gameplay on the pitch and helped the whole backline to move forward. 23 starts saw him the second top points scorer with 8 tries, 15 conversions 6 penalties and a drop goal making 91 points.

Joint third place: Lee Maddison

Has also just finished his first season as a Friarageman and has improved and developed over the season into a valuable player. With his presence, excellent mobility and ball-handling, his breakaways have produced scoring chances for his team-mates and himself. 11 starts and 1 substitution 3 tries brought him 15 points.

Second place: Andrew Dring

A player greatly over-looked and under-credited simply because he just gets on with his job. He was always at the heart of a game and getting stuck in as ball carrier, tackler and support player. As Alan Brown had said in the Mail, he was ‘an unsung hero.’ In being runner up for a third time he would hopefully take the main award in the future. 26 starts and 1 substitution earned him 20 points through 4 tries.

Supporters’ Player of the Season: Stewart Grazier

The winner was a player that every other team never forgets, putting in a memorable performance every game with his sheer strength and ball-carrying skills. He made the most appearances over the season with 28 games seeing him be top try scorer with 12 and he added 2 conversions and 2 penalties into the bargain. He became the first player to win the award for a third time.