DONCASTER coach Richard Horne says the dual-registration deal recently forged with his former club Hull has already paid off.
The 42-year-old ex-Great Britain back spent his entire playing career with the Black and Whites and cut his coaching teeth there before taking charge of the Dons in July 2017.
Young Hull quartet Owen Haldenby, Zach Jebson, Matty Laidlaw and Joe Ward featured for Horne’s side in their pre-season match at home to Sheffield.
A planned clash with Hull Reserves was previously frozen off, and his options against Sheffield, who won 26-10, were limited by injuries and illness in the camp.
The coach was able to field only three of his six new signings in Papua New Guinean back Edene Gebbie (from Whitehaven), Kiwi hooker Isaac Misky (St Gaudens) and second rower Jacob Jones (Leigh) – forwards Jordan Baldwinson (Bradford), Josh Bowden (Wakefield) and Andre Savelio (Huddersfield) missing out.
Horne, who hopes to be in a better position when Wakefield visit on Sunday for another pre-season match, said: “I was grateful to Hull for sending their players, because we badly needed that run-out and might not have got it on without them.
“With the planned game against Hull Reserves being cancelled previously, it was about getting some minutes into legs and lungs and the contact element.
“Adding the Wakefield game gives us an opportunity to work more on structures and how we will play moving forward.”
Horne, whose side’s league opener is at Featherstone on Sunday, February 16, continued: “We got what we wanted out of the Sheffield match.
“You always like to get a win, but a friendly is about getting ready, working on things and finding out areas you need to look at.
“And we were quite light in the middle against a side who are big, physical and experienced, and execute well off a quick ruck.
“We were able to address that as the game went on, which was pleasing.”
