Squad news: Mark Kheirallah set to make Featherstone debut
Featherstone have named new signing Mark Kheirallah in their squad for Sunday’s Championship clash with Sheffield.
Kheirallah, 32, made the move to the Millennium Stadium earlier this week having left Toulouse.
He could go straight in at full-back, with Brandon Pickersgill missing through injury.
Pickersgill picked up a knock to the knee in the Challenge Cup defeat at Catalans last weekend.
Kheirallah told Rovers TV what he will bring: “Bit of energy. It’s kind of what I’ve built my game around; energy, positivity and good communication.
🗣️ 𝐊𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐇
Mark Kheirallah's excited at the prospect of playing in front of a packed out Millennium Stadium on Sunday.
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“Especially in my position that’s probably the three key things that have to come.
“That’s what I hope to put on the field on Sunday.
“It will be nice to have them (Featherstone fans) supporting me instead of against me! They’re very passionate supporters, you could tell that every time we came, so having a few thousand of them here on Sunday will make the atmosphere quite electric.”
New team 🔵
New city 🏠
New country 🏴New challenge!! 🏆
The next part of the journey has begun and it’s time to get back out there and do what I love 💙 @fevroversrlfc 🏉 @ Featherstone Rovers https://t.co/1OPf1DnkNh
— Mark Kheirallah (@markkheirallah) March 31, 2022
Kheirallah has spent the past 10 years with Toulouse, first featuring for them in the Elite 1 Championship.
After their move in to the RFL pyramid, he has been a stand out player at full-back, scoring nearly 1,700 points.
He is just two tries short of 100 in RFL competition.
Meanwhile, Featherstone forward Brett Ferres is facing a spell on the sidelines with a broken thumb.
But Jesse Sene-Lefao, a close season signing from Castleford, is nearing his return to action.
Featherstone 21-man squad v Sheffield: Briscoe, Leilua, Hall, Chisholm, Kopczak, Jones, Lockwood, Bussey, Wildie, Davies, Moors, Hellewell, Hardcastle, Field, Smith, Cooper, Trout, Doyle, Cuthbertson, Jacks, Kheirallah.