Last updated at 11:25, Thursday, 03 May 2012

WILL Jamie Rooney breathe a bit of fresh air into the Recreation Ground scene? A feel-good factor is certainly needed at the Recre amid all the Pow Beck stadium fallout.

On his home debut the big hope is that this Sunday the ex England, Wakefield Wildcats and Barrow ring master will make the London Skolars dance to his tune.

If Rooney can do for Haven as other veterans such as Graham Holdroyd has done for others then his presence could be the catalyst to turn Haven’s fortunes in the promotion race.

A new behind-the-scrum triumvarite possibly featuring Carl Rudd at loose forward with Rooney at stand-off and young Ben Karalius at scrum half will be expected to deliver.

Off the field it’s all political turmoil in the fallout from the collapse of the new stadium plans as they stood. Another route is sought into the Pow Beck. Good luck to the stadium partners – Copeland Council, Whitehaven RLFC and Whitehaven AFC – in whatever they come up with. With all the flak flying around they’ll need it.

Turning the clock back a few years, if BNFL’s £500,000 windfall had gone to Whitehaven RL club as many of us believed it was first intended (instead of into the wider Pow Beck development pot) then the old Recre would probably haven a nice new stand by now and more comfortable spectator facilities all round.

One can say with some certainty that the Super League dream is further away than ever.

Will Cumbria Academy of Sport – alias Copeland Stadium – prove any more of an alternative with all that spare land. Though the welcome mat is still out my impression is that you’d have to literally drag the rugby league club up the road to Hensingham.

We’re constantly reminded Pow Beck is all tied in to Whitehaven town centre regeneration – I ask you is there really any long term hope of a Pow Beck Sports Village?

Cumbria Academy of Sport (Copeland Stadium) is already an established community sports facility run by a Trust of dedicated rugby league stalwarts including the Whitehaven RLFC chairman Philip Kitchin and Jackie Reed, recently inducted into the Rugby Football League’s roll of honour.

All want the best for sport in our area.

Back in 2009 the Trustees went to the trouble and expense of having architects draw up plans and an exciting image of what an expanded (Hensingham superstadium) would actually look like.

On top of everything else the vision was to combine international class athletics with top class rugby league - and that meant Super League – a combined Cumbrian team giving county wide focus and attracting maximum financial investment which the Trustees have so far proved pretty adept at procuring - at least £1 million in grants so far.

It’s hefty delivering price tag of £23 million did make Pow Beck’s £5.5 million seem a drop in the ocean but everything can be scaled down – just like Pow Beck itself!

All this came about during 2009, just when Barrow had won the Grand Final and led to national pundits wondering whether it would spark interest in a Cumbrian Super League team.

Here’s what I wrote at the time: “Cumbria Academy of Sports Trust has tried to set the ball rolling – they have every right to try and capitalise on what’s an existing centre of sporting excellence but Whitehaven quickly made it clear they were not interested in a joint venture. The club wants to press ahead with a new Recre stadium as part of the strategic Pow Beck renaissance.

“One possible solution for some time has been the vision of a new super stadium built at halfway house – Lillyhall. Plenty agree but things appear to be too far down the track to combine Copeland and Allerdale resources. Haven and Town continue to go their own way. I’m sure the bookies won’t be taking bets on who will be first to apply for Super League.”

Nothing’s changed in three years.

Wonder what the next three will bring?

Back on the field it was in 2009 that a certain Leroy Joe was scooping up most of Haven’s player of the year awards entering his 36th year - this coming Sunday all eyes will be on the younger Jamie Rooney (31) to see whether the ex Super League star can start to emulate the Kiwi maestro in delivering a bit more midfield magic.

First published at 11:11, Thursday, 03 May 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk