Championship: Rival ‘Heavy Woollen’ duo, Batley Bulldogs and Dewsbury Rams, targeting strong starts

BATLEY BULLDOGS and Dewsbury Rams have had contrasting pre-seasons, but both are looking to get their Betfred Championship campaign off to a strong start tomorrow.
Bulldogs coach, Matt Diskin. PIC: Jonathan GawthorpeBulldogs coach, Matt Diskin. PIC: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Bulldogs coach, Matt Diskin. PIC: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Bulldogs, who won three of their four warm-up games, kick-off at home to Barrow Raiders (3pm) and coach Matt Diskin has high hopes for his settled, but also strengthened, squad.

“We have recruited quality rather than quantity,” Diskin said. “We’ve had a couple of late additions – Paul Brearley who’s been with us on trial and Lewis Bienek on season-long loan from Hull – but before that we’ve been running with 23.

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“But it’s been 23 quality players and we know when anyone jumps in the standard won’t drop. We’ve not had that before while I’ve been here.”

Rams head coach Lee Greenwood. PIC: Tony JohnsonRams head coach Lee Greenwood. PIC: Tony Johnson
Rams head coach Lee Greenwood. PIC: Tony Johnson

Barrow have brought in three Papua New Guineans plus former Great Britain forward Gareth Hock.

“We’ve done plenty of preview on them,” Diskin said. “We know what they can do if you allow them to play on their terms and we are excited to get started.”

Lee Greenwood will be in charge of Rams in a competitive game for the first time when they visit Rochdale Hornets tomorrow (subject to pitch inspection at noon today). Rochdale finished bottom of the Championship last year, but restructuring of the competition saved them from relegation.

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It’s a game new-look Rams have real hopes of winning and Greenwood said: “You can say that about the first four, to be fair, but the other teams will be saying the same looking at us.

“It gives us a chance to get off to a good start but also, if I was coaching Rochdale, I’d be looking at us and thinking the same. It is going to be a tough game for both teams.

“They are probably both desperate for a win when they look at the rest of the season and the other teams they’ll be coming up against. You’d like to think you’re going to get better as you go along, but the big challenge is picking up wins in the meantime.”

Rams won one of their four pre-season matches, but were competitive and Greenwood added: “I think there’s reasons to be positive and a big thing I want to do this year is make us difficult to beat. I’m hoping we’ll be difficult to beat from round one and then it’s on-going and within that you pick up your share of wins as well.”