Hawks eye up momentum as Bramald aims to make flying start

Hawks finished the regular season in seventh place – ahead of London on points difference – and need to make up a three-point gap to grab a play-offs spot at the end of the protracted league season.

“Momentum in the Super-8s is going to be massive,” said Bramald. We’ve won five of our last six and, with the greatest respect to London, we could not have wished for a better start, at home against the team who finished eighth.”

But Bramald insisted that Hunslet Hawks are expecting a tough game. He added: “We have beaten them already this year, but they have had some great results.

“They have beaten Keighley and Barrow so we know we have got to be on our mettle if we’re going to win it and get off to a flying start.”

Hawks will give a debut to winger Stuart Sanderson, who has joined them from Pontefract Rugby Union Club.

There will be a minute’s silence before Hunslet’s next home game, against Doncaster on August 5, in memory of former club secretary Doreen Stephenson, who had been suffering from cancer and died last weekend.

Hawks’ joint club captain Liam MacKay will miss the rest of the season following surgery on a shoulder injury.