BACK in the Championship by default after the restructuring of the leagues, Dewsbury Rams will be hoping for an improvement on the last time they were in the second tier back in 2024.
That year, the Rams won just two games all season as relegation beckoned, whilst their 2025 campaign saw them finish fourth in League One after winning ten of their 18 fixtures.
Finally, though, Dewsbury have some kind of stability heading into a season with head coach Paul March staying on and a number of key players – such as Toby Everett and Jacob Hookem – penning new deals.
Paul Sykes appears to be playing on at the age of 44, and his experience, even if he’s not on the pitch all that much, could still prove vital.
Bringing in Championship quality like Brad Graham (Halifax) and Jacob Bateman (season-long loan from Bradford) will undoubtedly help March in his quest to keep the Rams away from the bottom of the second tier once more, but the merging of the two leagues could see the Rams struggle.
One to watch
Teenager Jacob Bateman, cousin of NRL and England veteran John Bateman, is highly-thought of at Odsal.
Though the back-rower has made just one appearance for Bradford, he joins Dewsbury on a season-long loan having previously spent time at Newcastle and Batley in 2025.
Full of vim and vigour like his cousin, Bateman has a bright future ahead of him and age on his side so it is very much the Rams’ gain for 2026.
Squad: 1 Craig McShane, 2 Tom Delaney, 3 Caelum Jordan, 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 Declan Tomlinson, 14 Jacob Parkinson, 15 Jacob Bateman, 16 Louis Collinson, 17 Harvey Roberts, Jack Briggs, 19 Louie Walker, 20 Valu Tanē Bentley, 21 Dave Benson, 22 George Rayner, 23 Brad Graham, 26 Paul Sykes, – Tenneson Neagle, – Bailey O’Connor
Ins: Luke Nelmes (Rochdale), Jacob Parkinson (Hull KR), George Rayner (Bradford), Valu Tanē Bentley (Leigh), Tom Delaney (Wakefield), Dave Benson (Kippax), Brad Graham (Halifax), Bailey O’Connor (Featherstone), Jacob Bateman (Bradford, loan)
Outs: Matt Garside (retired), Keenen Tomlinson (Goole), Jackson Walker (released)