Although everybody was not in favour of the move, the clubs fortunes really took off with being able to recruit from other clubs and schools in the area and in 1967 (at their first attempt), the side reached the final of the Yorkshire Shield. This was played at Huddersfield against the powerful Sheffield University team who won through by 14 - 6, although Rods had the satisfaction of scoring 2 tries to 1. The following year, they returned to the final and beat Heath O.B. 17 - 3 at Morley. They were then exempt from the competition until 1973 when again they reached the final at Morley and beat Pontefract 14 - 6 after extra time.

The side originally played on the "rec" at Lofthouse, after changing in the rear of the Rose & Crown pub but had to move for a year to Rothwell Haigh after a dispute with the landlord at the time. Whilst at this ground they reached the last 8 of the Yorkshire Cup beating a senior side (Otley) 23 - 3 along the way. They lost at home to the eventual cup winners Roundhay by 9 points to 3. They then moved back to Lofthouse cricket field for a season or two until their newly acquired land at Stanley was levelled and seeded, to form two pitches and a clubhouse. The club moved to its new premises in time for the 1970-71 season and this also brought a further strengthening of players. A match to mark the opening of the new ground was arranged against a select side from the County, Yorkshire Wanderers, who proved too strong on this occasion. These proved to be halcyon years for the club as they were among the top 10 teams in the County in the 70's but gradually as the current crop of players grew older or retired, the club lost ground on the playing field as adequate replacements were not forthcoming from the local schools. The club had proposed leagues in the 1970's but the Yorkshire committee rejected this move, but it was felt that if they had started at this time, the club would have retained its place among the elite. Alas, leagues arrived 15 years too late and in the 1980's a decline and fixtures carefully picked up over the years were then surrended until the club was back in a league where it started from.