Dewsbury Rams v Batley Bulldogs: Boxing Day stuffing not on the menu this year insists coach Lee Greenwood

The coach insisted he has been impressed with his new-look squad’s attitude in training, but knows a game is the ultimate test.

“You can do all the training you need to do against each other, do all the fitness and strength testing but, until you get up against decent opposition, it’s hard to know what you are going to be like,” Greenwood said.

“We’ve been training six weeks and we’ve got a week and a half off after we play so I think the lads are looking forward to seeing each other play.

“We’ve got a lot of new faces and they all seem to get on well.

“There’s a good vibe around the place and I think we are ready for seeing what we look like in a game.”

Dewsbury have lost seven successive Boxing Day derbies, since a 28-6 win in 2011.

Greenwood’s first match in charge was a 16-10 reverse 12 months ago and he recalled: “That was disappointing, it was a scrappy affair and we didn’t start well.

“I wasn’t that happy with it; it looked like a group of lads who’d had a big Christmas and a game got in the way.

“This year it’s different and the players are looking forward to it.”