BRAD BRENNAN LOOKS AHEAD TO BETFRED LEAGUE 1 SEASON-OPENER

Rochdale Hornets forward Brad Brennan says the squad have every reason to be confident ahead of their Betfred League 1 opener at Midlands Hurricanes this Sunday.

The Hornets travel to the Alexander Stadium looking to start their league campaign on a positive note.

Brennan, who is set to make his competitive league debut for the club this weekend after joining earlier this year from North Wales Crusaders, is eager to hit the ground running against one of the sides he played for earlier in his career.

Looking ahead to Round 1, the 31-year-old said: "I am really enjoying my time as a Hornet, and to get a win over a former club would get our season off to a fantastic start.

"Some of these early games can really put you in a good place, come the end of the season.

"Our squad this year has a great mix of experience and youth, with everyone pushing for places and wanting to get in that matchday squad. 

"Competition is helping players improve individually and as a squad, and I believe that if we play to the best of our abilities, we can beat anyone in this league."

The Hornets have enjoyed a testing start to the season, facing higher-ranked opposition in Halifax Panthers and Batley Bulldogs in cup competition. 

They are also no strangers to coming up against Midlands, having produced a stirring second half fightback to knock them out of the Betfred Challenge Cup, courtesy of a 24-20 victory at the Crown Oil Arena last month.

The experienced Brennan, who has spent the last six seasons with North Wales and amassed nearly a century of appearances for the club, hopes that result will give the squad increased belief that they can get the job done on Sunday. 

"Definitely, it will give the squad some confidence going into Round 1,” he added.

"It's always nice having a win over them already this season, but we can't afford to be complacent and will need to stay switched on to put in a good performance.

"They can and will be pushing top teams for results this season, and we can't afford to get caught out."