Championship Preview: Batley Bulldogs v Featherstone Rovers

Batley Bulldogs coach John Kear insists his side will have a “smile on our face” when they host Featherstone Rovers on Sunday.

The Bulldogs ended a four-match losing streak by winning 33-18 at Swinton Lions last week.

Now former England coach Kear believes his team can start to turn around their stuttering season, having won just five of their first 12 league fixtures in 2014.

Kear said “The players got their reward for turning their attitude around and applying themselves with a great work ethic.

“They’ve copped a bit in the last month, but we can now look forward to Featherstone.

“We’ll have a good look at Featherstone and turn up with a smile on our face, ready to play some good rugby league.”

Rovers pair Andy Kain and Etu Uaisele face fitness tests after leaving the field during Featherstone’s 50-14 win over Whitehaven.

Featherstone coach Andy Hay said: “There’s a tough group of players here and they’re sticking together well.

“We want to push the ball around. We’re still learning and finding our feet as a team, but defensively I was really pleased (against Whitehaven).”