Tonks returns for Fev

Tony Tonks returns for Featherstone Rovers after his suspension was reduced by the RFL Disciplinary Committee at last night’s appeal, but Rovers coach Daryl Powell has plenty of other concerns ahead of Sunday’s clash with Batley.

Tim Spears (knee), Dave Williams (ankle), Sam Smeaton (ankle) and Liam Welham (knee) all suffered injuries during last week’s defeat at Leigh.

All four will be given fitness tests this week, although Andrew Bostock could return after withdrawing from last week’s fixture due to a stomach virus.

Powell said: “We’re doing it pretty tough. It’s an unprecedented injury list for us, so we’ll have to dig deep.”

Kris Lythe is available for Batley Bulldogs after completing a one-match suspension.

But influential playmaker Paul Mennell is set to miss his second consecutive match as he battles to recover from a leg infection.

Batley coach Karl Harrison watched his side beat Dewsbury 28-0 in last week’s opening round of the Co-operative Championship.

Harrison said: “It was a very, very good professional performance against a physical Dewsbury team. To nil them was outstanding.”

He added: “I still think we’ve got lots of improvement with the ball in hand, but that will come as the season goes on.

“Every team can beat every team in this division. You’ve got to prepare well and get lucky week in, week out. If you get results you’ve also then got to try to stop teams getting bonus points, because that’s a massive feature of this division.”