DEWSBURY RAMS have suffered some agonising defeats in the Championship this season, culminating in their heartbreaking 21-20 loss to their derby rivals Batley Bulldogs on Good Friday, and they now lie in ninth place with four wins from their eight matches so far.
Their coach Paul March (pictured above) has made four changes to his 21-man squad that was selected to face the Bulldogs, with two loanees from Wakefield Trinity, Ellis Lingard and Charlie Abraham. Lingard played for the Rams in their victory in Cumbria against Workington Town in March.
The Vikings make only one change to their squad, with Jumah Sambou missing with a shoulder injury, replaced by Kieran Taylor, who has been recalled from being loaned to Rochdale Hornets.
SQUADS
Rams: 1 Craig McShane, 2 Tom Delaney, 4 George Senior, 5 Liam Copland, 6 Dan Coates, 7 Jacob Hookem, 8 Luke Nelmes, 9 Jack McShane, 10 Toby Everett, 11 Joe Summers, 12 Luke Mearns, 13 Dec Tomlinson, 15 Jacob Bateman, 16 Louis Collinson, 19 Louie Walker 20 Valu Bentley, 22 George Rayner, 23 Brad Graham, 29 Bailey O’Connor, 30 Ellis Lingard, Charlie Abraham
Outs: 3 Caelum Jordan, 17 Harvey Roberts, 28 Jamie Gill, 35 Danny Addy
Ins: 19 Louie Walker 20 Valu Bentley, 30 Ellis Lingard, Charlie Abraham
Vikings: 2 Mike Butt, 3 Jack Owens, 4 Joe Edge, 5 Ryan Ince, 6 Joe Lyons, 7 Tom Gilmore, 8 Daniel Murray, 9 Jordan Johnstone, 11 Sam Wilde, 12 Max Roberts, 13 Nick Gregson, 14 Matty Fozard, 15 Lewis Hall, 16 Danny Langtree, 18 Morgan McWhirter, 19 Adam Lawton, 21 James Chapelhow, 22 Jordan Abdull, 23 Nathan Connell, 25 Kieran Taylor, 28 Jack Houghton,
Outs: 29 Jumah Sambou
Ins: 25 Kieran Taylor
Referee: Tara Jones
STATS
Widnes’ MATTY FOZARD has scored tries in the Vikings’ last three meetings with Dewsbury (>1-2-2).
Last ten meetings:
Widnes 34, Dewsbury 12 (ChR15, 14/7/24)
Dewsbury 6, Widnes 24 (ChR3, 7/4/24)
Dewsbury 32, Widnes 12 (CCR4, 2/4/23)
Widnes 20, Dewsbury 16 (ChR18, 10/7/22)
Dewsbury 10, Widnes 36 (ChR4, 21/2/22)
Dewsbury 23, Widnes 22 (ChR17, 15/8/21)
Widnes 14, Dewsbury 22 (ChR2, 17/4/21)
Dewsbury 20, Widnes 8 (ChR4, 1/3/20)
Dewsbury 8, Widnes 22 (ChR27, 8/9/19)
Widnes 54, Dewsbury 6 (1895C-QF, 26/6/19)
MATTY FOZARD needs one appearance to reach 300 for his career.
- 125 for Widnes Vikings (2022-2026)
– 42 for London Broncos (2019-2021)
– 94 for Sheffield Eagles (2016-2018)
– 9 for Rochdale Hornets (2015, dual-registration)
- 11 for Batley Bulldogs (2015, loan)
– 1 for St Helens (2014)
– 17 for Wales (2014, 2016-2017, 2022, 2024-2025)
MATTY FLEMING needs one appearance to reach 100 for Widnes Vikings.
– Debut: London Broncos (a) (Ch) (W34-12) (Centre) (30 January, 2022)