Dewsbury Rams will take on the Swinton Lions this weekend in their own den at the Sale Sharks ground Haywood Road.
The Lions had a good end to last season where they made their escape from the drop to League One to stay in the Championship. Stuart Littler’s squad are workmanlike and are prepared to put up a test and so Lee Greenwood is prepared for a challenge by the Lions on Sunday afternoon.
Last weekend the Rams were defeated in their opening game on Friday night against the Leigh Centurions. Losing 10-36 the scoreline didn’t represent the effort, attitude and some of the play that Dewsbury produced on the night.
Meanwhile the Lions won their first game of the season away at Whitehaven, a victory of 14-0, it is always a difficult trip up to Cumbria and it was even more impressive of the fact that they zeroed the opposition.
LAST TEN GAMES AGAINST SWINTON
Dewsbury 44, Swinton 26 (1895C-R2, 2/6/19)
Swinton 22, Dewsbury 17 (ChR15, 26/5/19)
Dewsbury 38, Swinton 24 (ChR3, 17/2/19)
Dewsbury 40, Swinton 7 (CSR1, 12/8/18)
Swinton 29, Dewsbury 28 (ChR19, 1/7/18)
Dewsbury 20, Swinton 0 (ChR4, 25/2/18)
Dewsbury 28, Swinton 35 (CSR4, 28/8/17)
Swinton 20, Dewsbury 42 (ChR22, 16/7/17)
Dewsbury 6, Swinton 8 (ChR2, 12/2/17)
Dewsbury 36, Swinton 24 (CSR1, 7/8/16)
PLAYER STATS
LIAM FINN needs two tries to reach 150 for his career.
– 49 for Dewsbury Rams (2006-2009, 2019-2020)
– 1 for Newcastle Thunder (2019)
– 8 for Wakefield Trinity (2004, 2016-2018)
– 9 for Castleford Tigers (2014-2015)
– 71 for Featherstone Rovers (2005, 2010-2013)
– 2 for Halifax (2002-2003)
– 8 for Ireland (2007-2018)
(0 for Widnes Vikings (2018, loan)
MICHAEL KNOWLES needs one try to reach 100 for his career.
– 13 for Dewsbury Rams (2017-2019)
– 1 for Featherstone Rovers (2017)
– 42 for Sheffield Eagles (2012-2016)
– 17 for Barrow Raiders (2010-2011)
– 22 for Gateshead Thunder (2007-2009)
– 4 for Castleford Tigers (2005-2007)
HEAD COACH COMMENTS
“It’s going to be really hard, Swinton are a decent team, a big side who like to throw the ball about. I would say they ended last season really well and could have been said to be playoff form. They were only really losing to top half teams. Obviously this season they have started off well by beating Whitehaven on their own patch, and I don’t think they have lost at home in their last five games.
“The pitch looks heavy, I have seen video footage of them playing against Warrington in a friendly a couple of weeks back. I saw a bit of footage of the Rugby Union side playing there last week too and so the pitch looks heavy. The forecast doesn’t look good so we are going to have to be ready for all sorts of challenges.”
THE SQUADS
Rams: 1. Joe Martin 2. Andy Gabriel 3. Adam Ryder 4. Matty Fleming 5. Will Oakes 6. Paul Sykes 7. Liam Finn 8. Frazer Morris 9. Dom Speakman 12. Michael Knowles 13. Chris Annakin 14. Sam Day 15. Liam Johnson 16. Connor Scott 17. Martyn Reilly 18. Davey Dixon 19. Sonny Esslemont 20. Morgan Punchard 22. Luke Nelmes 23. Jon Magrin. No number, Matty Gee
Swinton: 1. Mike Butt 2. Richard Lepori 3. Ben Morris 4. Mitch Cox 5. Brandon Wood 6. Jack Hansen 7. Rob Fairclough 8. Gavin Bennion 9. Luke Waterworth 10. Lewis Hatton 11. Rhodri Lloyd 12. Frankie Halton 13. Will Hope 14. Billy Brickhill 16. Paddy Jones 17. Jose Kenga 18. Louis Brogan 19. Sam Grant 20. Oscar Thomas 21. Tayler Brown 24. Deane Meadows.
The club would like to remind supporters that it can buy pre-match tickets online for our trip to Swinton. You can purchase your tickets by clicking the link below up untill 11pm 8th February.
We are looking forward to seeing as many fans as possible at Haywood Road on Sunday.
