The long and rich history of Featherstone Rovers Rugby League Football Club

Sunday 9 November 2014

John Bastian November 2013 to May 2014

When Daryl Powell left for Castleford halfway through the 2013 season, Rovers recruited former player John Bastian. It was an unusual recruitment though, in that John did not start immediately but worked out his contract as Youth Development Director at Warrington before starting at Featherstone. That left Danny Evans in charge for the rest of the 2013 season and he was helped by Sean Long. John Bastian was well known to Rovers fans having been a player at the club from 1987 to 1991, a second row forward who played 48 games before leaving to join Dewsbury. Since retiring, he had been coach at Leeds Academy, before graduating to a more all-encompassing Head of Development role, first at Headingley and latterly at Warrington Wolves. A number of Rovers’ new signings for 2014 reflected John’s in-depth knowledge of the junior sections of both those Super League clubs. Once the season started, results were mixed. Having dissembled a successful squad it was normal that a new squad would take time to gel, but time is something a head coach rarely has. Although he won nine of 13 games in charge Rovers slipped behind Leigh in the league table and with the highest finish possible essential to secure funding for 2015 John lost his job in May 2014.

John Bastian’s coaching record:

2014: Won 9 Lost 4

Total: Won 9 Lost 4 = 50%

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