WHITEHAVEN and Rochdale Hornets have enjoyed contrasting starts to the 2026 Championship season, with Haven still awaiting their first win after four rounds of the competition and Hornets experiencing their first defeat of the season at home to Hunslet last weekend.
Haven coach Anthony Murray has made three changes to his 21-man squad following last week’s heavy 56-14 defeat to Keighley, with Aaron Turnbull and Cole Taylor-Walker coming into the squad, while Seth Woodend has joined the club on loan from Barrow Raiders. The players to drop out are Josh Blinkhorn, Marc Shackley and Xenden Callander.
Hornets were shocked 6-42 at home by Hunslet in Round 4 and their coach Gary Thornton has responded by making four changes, with winger Dan Nixon forced to miss the game after suffering concussion against Hunslet.
Thornton has brought in Widnes prop Jack Houghton on loan for a month to help provide cover after a glut of early-season injuries and Sheffield hooker Reiss Butterworth has also arrived on a one-week deal to cover for the absence of Hornets captain Ross Whitmore, who is with Scotland in Las Vegas.
SQUADS
Haven: 2 Mitchell Todd, 4 Ethan Bickerdike, 5 Jay Weatherill, 6 Ciaran Walker, 7 Jack Newbegin, 8 Jake Pearce, 9 Ellison Holgate, 11 Connor Holliday, 12 Rio McQuistan, 13 Jack Kellett, 15 Ellis Nixon, 16 Brad Brennan, 17 Aaron Turnbull, 18 Cole Taylor-Walker, 19 Dave Eccleston, 21 Joe Lowe, 23 Ben Pearce, 24 Lewis Brown, 35 Jackson Smith, Seth Woodend
Outs: 14 Josh Blinkhorn, 20 Marc Shackley, 31 Xenden Callander,
Ins: 17 Aaron Turnbull, 18 Cole Taylor-Walker, Seth Woodend
Hornets: 3 Tom Ashton, 4 Junior Sa’u, 6 Jamie Dallimore, 8 Jaden Dayes, 10 Lewis Hatton, 13 Jordan Syme, 17 Dylan Kelly-Duffy, 19 Luke Waterworth, 20 Joe Hickey, 21 TJ Boyd, 22 Jack Holmes, 23 Marcus Green, 24 Ben Metcalfe, 25 Jack Hansen, 28 Kieran Taylor, 34 Isaac Coleman, Dan Lloyd
Outs: 2 Dan Nixon, 9 Ross Whitmore, 12 Ethan Wood, 18 Danny Lynch
Ins: 5 Ben Will, Reiss Butterworth, Jack Houghton, Harry Sheridan
STATS
Last ten meetings:
Rochdale 36, Whitehaven 32 (L1R18, 3/8/25)
Whitehaven 24, Rochdale 20 (L1R3, 23/3/25)
Whitehaven 21, Rochdale 22 (CCR4, 31/3/19)
Whitehaven 38, Rochdale 0 (CCR5, 22/4/18)
Whitehaven 48, Rochdale 12 (ChR25, 31/8/14)
Rochdale 20, Whitehaven 16 (ChR7, 13/4/14)
Whitehaven 40, Rochdale 12 (C1-EPO, 9/9/12)
Rochdale 12, Whitehaven 31 (C1R13, 29/7/12)
Whitehaven 30, Rochdale 10 (C1R2, 18/3/12)
Rochdale 49, Whitehaven 18 (C1R12, 10/4/11)