ROCHDALE HORNETS currently lie second in the Championship table, and with the leaders Barrow Raiders having a difficult game at Sheffield in Round 4, they could find themselves at the top of the table on Monday night if they can secure a win against Hunslet while staying ahead of third-place Dewsbury Rams on points difference.
The new merged Championship competition has been a great success so far this season for the Hornets, who have racked up wins so far against Swinton, Workington and Keighley and who now face a side from last year’s Championship for the first time in Hunslet, albeit a side that finished bottom of that competition and would have been relegated in a normal season.
Hornets will be missing fullback Max Flanagan, who suffered a concussion against Keighley, while Jonny Vaughan has returned to his parent club Wigan.
Hunslet coach Kyle Trout is able to call on two loan players from Doncaster in Isaac Misky and Bureta Faraimo and they will be seeking their first victory of the season.
SQUADS
Hornets: 2 Dan Nixon, 3 Tom Ashton, 4 Junior Sa’u, 6 Jamie Dallimore, 8 Jaden Dayes, 9 Ross Whitmore, 10 Lewis Hatton, 12 Ethan Wood, 13 Jordan Syme, 17 Dylan Kelly-Duffy, 18 Danny Lynch, 19 Luke Waterworth, 20 Joe Hickey, 21 TJ Boyd, 22 Jack Holmes, 24 Ben Metcalfe, 25 Jack Hansen, 28 Kieran Taylor, 34 Isaac Coleman, Marcus Green, Dan Lloyd
Outs: 1 Max Flanagan, 29 Jonny Vaughan, 35 Isaac Reid
Ins: 18 Danny Lynch, Marcus Green, Dan Lloyd,
Hunslet: 1 Billy Jowitt, 2 Coby Nichol, 3 Myles Harrop, 4 Charlie Graham, 5 Mo Agoro, 6 Lee Gaskell, 7 Dan Abram, 8 Harvey Hallas, 10 Keelan Foster, 11 Harrison Gilmore, 13 Eddie Battye, 14 Cameron Berry, 15 Emmerson Whittel, 16 Elijah Simpson, 18 Jimmy Watson, 19 Mason Corbett, 20 Liam Carr, 26 Ethan O’Hanlon, Alfie Leake, Isaac Misky, Bureta Faraimo
Outs: 9 Bailey Aldridge, 21 Mackenzie Turner, 24 Jimmy Morgan, 25 Zak Lloyd,
Ins: 4 Charlie Graham, Alfie Leake, Isaac Misky, Bureta Faraimo
Referee: Aaryn Belafonte
STATS
Rochdale’s JORDAN ANDRADE has scored tries in Hornets’ last three meetings with Hunslet (>2-1-1).
Last ten meetings:
Rochdale 26, Hunslet 46 (L1-FE, 29/9/24)
Rochdale 30, Hunslet 18 (L1QPO, 15/9/24)
Hunslet 18, Rochdale 48 (L1R13, 23/6/24)
Rochdale 24, Hunslet 26 (L1R2, 24/3/24)
Rochdale 22, Hunslet 35 (L1R20, 6/8/23)
Hunslet 36, Rochdale 18 (L1R10, 28/5/23)
Hunslet 24, Rochdale 32 (L1R12, 25/6/22)
Rochdale 44, Hunslet 20 (L1R3, 10/4/22)
Rochdale 34, Hunslet 34 (L1R15, 22/8/21)
Hunslet 36, Rochdale 22 (L1R5, 6/6/21)
DAN ABRAM needs four goals to reach 500 for his career (all conversions and penalties).
- 0 for Hunslet (2026)
- 118 for Whitehaven (2018, 2025, loan)
- 268 for Swinton Lions (2022-2025)
- 54 for Oldham (2020-2021)
- 56 for Rochdale Hornets (2019)
(0 for Barrow Raiders, 2016-2017)