BATLEY BULLDOGS and Swinton Lions will both be battling for their first win of the season at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium on Sunday.
The Bulldogs have suffered three defeats so far, while the Lions are next to bottom of the table with no wins from four matches.
Last time out Batley were well beaten 30-12 on their visit to Midlands Hurricanes. Their coach James Ford has made two changes to his 21-man squad, with Lucas Walshaw and Castleford loanee Akim Metvejev dropping out, while new signing from Halifax Ronan Dixon bolsters the squad and former Dewsbury Moor player Felix Ellis is also drafted into the squad.
Lions coach Paul Wood makes four changes to his squad, with St Helens loanees Leon Cowen and Alfie Sinclair coming into contention and Harry Higham and Johnny Openshaw also returning to the squad.
SQUADS
Bulldogs: 1 Robbie Butterworth, 2 Joe Burton, 3 Ollie Greensmith, 4 Wesley Bruines, 6 Ben Reynolds, 7 Josh Woods, 9 Alistair Leak, 10 Luke Cooper, 11 Dane Manning, 13 Robson Stevens, 14 Ben White, 15 Nyle Flynn, 16 Michael Ward, 17 Liam Kirk, 18 Evan Hodgson, 19 Jonah Parsons, 21 Luca Atkinson, 26 Derrell Olpherts, 33 Will Oakes
Outs: 12 Lucas Walshaw, 25 Akim Metvejev,
Ins: Felix Ellis, Ronan Dixon
Lions: 1 Louie Roberts, 2 Connor Parkinson, 3 Ellis Anderson, 4 Aaron Lynch, 5 Harry Higham, 6 Reece Briers, 9 George Roby, 11 Gavin Rodden, 12 Aaron Willis, 14 Johnny Openshaw, 17 Trent Kelly-Duffy, 18 Bobby Shingler, 20 Adam Jones, 21 Tom Ratchford, 22 Jordan Brown, 26 Charlie McCurrie, 27 Lucas Coan, 31 Finlay Irwin, 32 Cameron Bate
Outs: 7 Jack Stevens, 23 Deane Meadows, 24 Ethan Fitzgerald, 29 Hamza Butt
Ins: 5 Harry Higham, 14 Johnny Openshaw, Leon Cowen, Alfie Sinclair
Referee: Freddie Lincoln
STATS
Last ten meetings:
Batley 26, Swinton 6 (ChR19, 11/8/24)
Swinton 16, Batley 20 (ChR11, 16/6/24)
Swinton 6, Batley 48 (ChR15, 18/6/23)
Batley 16, Swinton 30 (ChR2, 12/2/23)
Swinton 6, Batley 38 (ChR17, 15/8/21)
Batley 26, Swinton 12 (ChR8, 30/5/21)
Batley 20, Swinton 10 (ChR3, 16/2/20)
Swinton 20, Batley 18 (ChR20, 7/7/19)
Batley 32, Swinton 18 (ChR11, 22/4/19)
Batley 40, Swinton 6 (CSR7, 30/9/18)