DEWSBURY RAMS coach Paul March has challenged his team to put a marker down to show they are contenders for an immediate return to the Championship.
The Rams have perhaps gone under the radar with other clubs stealing the headlines so far this season, and though they suffered an early defeat by North Wales Crusaders, they are starting to get players back after injury.
The demise of Cornwall means Dewsbury will have a month off after their trip to Whitehaven at the beginning of May (Sunday 4), their next game after that not being until they travel to Workington on Sunday, June 1.
March said: “We are wanting to put a marker down to where we want to finish.
“Against Keighley (a 26-12 home win), we took a massive step forward, we dominated the game for 70 minutes. They had ten minutes where they got on a roll and we found it hard in the middle, so we just need to fix that up. We can’t sit back and just let the game come to us.
“Jamie Field has been asking for more gametime, Matt Garside is back and he’s a leader which is what we’ve been missing, and Jack McShane is putting in 80 minutes.
“Injury-wise it’s been hitting us a bit. But we’re starting to get some troops back and competition for places will be great in the next few weeks.”
Louie Walker is missing for at least three months with a broken leg, while Tommy Brierley is another on the sidelines.
Sam Day is back in training following the head injury he sustained against Goole, with Jack Briggs and Caelum Jordan also returning.
On Day, March added: “We’re just looking after him because if he gets one more (concussion) he’s on the sideline for a long period of time.”
