Kingstone Press Championship preview: Hunslet Hawks v Dewsbury Rams

Newly promoted Hunslet Hawks have yet to register a win in the Championship.

“There are no easy games and the start that we’ve got to the season is probably as tough as you can imagine,” said coach Barry Eaton.

But Eaton is pleased with the effort of his players: “Batley was very similar to the Featherstone game. We put an enormous amount of effort in, had a very good work ethic and just came up short but there are certainly positive signs.

Looking ahead to Sunday he said: “Dewsbury have done fantastically well; on paper they’ve got a squad that’s probably capable of challenging for that top four. We certainly feel if we can give them another good game, it will bode well for us as the season starts to unfold.”

Luke Briscoe, who has a back problem, is the only injury concern for Eaton.

Dewsbury Rams coach Glenn Morrison admitted it was frustrating travelling up to Workington last week only for the game to be postponed due to a waterlogged pitch: “We’d built up some good momentum through pre-season and the first round result. Having to travel all the way up there and not get it on wasn’t the best but we’ll re-group this week and have got to try and start again now.

“They’re going to be tough, obviously they haven’t got the results but they’ve played some good footy and I think they’ve been a little bit unlucky. They’ve got a strong squad and we’ve got to approach them as if they were one of the top sides otherwise they’ll come up with the win over us.”

Morrison’s only injury worry is three quarter Sam Wood who has a knee problem.