Rovers shaky before opener

ROCHEDALE Rovers senior men’s coach, Kieran Cooper has conceded his team’s poor pre-season this year is a concern leading up to their Premier League season opener against Capalaba this Saturday at Underwood Park.

The league’s powerhouse club failed to record a victory at this year’s Brisbane Roar Silver Boot pre-season tournament and their bad form continued, going down 3-2 to newly promoted Premier league club, Beenleigh in their final trial match last week.

Cooper admitted he wasn’t sure why his team was struggling, but alluded to last year’s controversial loss to Peninsula Power in the final regular season match, which denied them a third straight premiership, as maybe one factor.

“That will always be in your head (the loss),” he said.

“It’s disappointing to lose a premiership that way and maybe that’s stuck in some of the boys’ heads – I don’t know.

“All I know is if I was still playing I would be using that as motivation.”