PRESTON Grasshoppers are expecting to make major changes both on and off the pitch in the close season as they reconcile themselves to playing in Division Three North next year.

Hoppers, already doomed to relegation, were thrashed 67-8 by Orrell on Saturday.

The match clearly showed the growing gulf in the game between the financial "haves" and "have nots".

Orrell have ten full-time professionals in their side including two who have played for England A and Wales A, and their superior fitness showed as they ran Hoppers ragged in the last 20 minutes.

Hoppers had held them to a respectable 22-8 at half time but fitness told in the end as the home side ran in a total of ten tries converting six of them.

Club secretary John Hetherington insisted it was not certain Hoppers would bounce back next season.

He said: "It's too soon to say how we will do next season. There will be some restructuring both in financial terms and on the playing side.

"There is a lot of turnover of players these days and we'll have to see who is available from elsewhere and who wants to stay with us next season.

"There are no fully pro teams in that division so obviously we will be more competitive but it will be tough to win it."