AFTER a dramatic ending to 2018, the work has already started off the field at Cougar Park ahead of the 2019 season.

As revealed in the September 13 edition of Inside Cougars, head coach Craig Lingard and general manager Steve Gill are well into the preparations for the 2019 season with new recruits for the first team targeted.

The club are hoping to be in a position to announce their new signings for 2019 soon once all documentation has been approved by the Rugby Football League.

With the new Betfred League One structure confirmed a fortnight ago in Manchester, Cougars know a top-six finish in 2019 will set them up for a tilt at promotion to the Championship with the target of a top-four finish already being set by the club.

Both the Reserves and Women’s teams are planning their trials to recruit new blood ahead of what promises to be a big year for both Scott Lindsey and Dean Muir’s teams.

The Reserves are set to take part in an extended Reserves Championship programme that will pit them against the likes of Wigan and Hull FC, while also maintaining local derbies against teams such as Bradford, Halifax and Featherstone.

The Women’s team, who had been expected to be promoted to Championship One, are now set to take part in an extended Championship season with the RFL expecting two divisions instead of four in 2019.

Both trials take place at Cougar Park on Sunday, November 18, with the women’s trial starting at 11am and the Reserves following this at 2pm.

The final piece of the 2018 season will be the club's presentation evening, which takes place on Friday, October 5, in the Executive Suite at Cougar Park from 7pm onwards.

Presentation evening comes seven days before the 2003 National League Two Champions reunion which takes place at Cougar Park from 7pm onwards on Friday, October 12. Tickets are available now from Margaret Proctor at £5 per person.

Supporters are still encouraged to buy their memberships for the 2019 Supporters Club at £5 per person with the season ticket launch set to follow in the coming weeks.

The home of the Supporters club, the Clever Energy Boilers Hall of Fame Bar, is set to be closed from mid-October for around a month as it is refurbished ahead of its relaunch as Joney’s Sports Bar for the 2019 season.