HEAD COACH Alan Kilshaw has named his 21-man squad as Hunslet seek to continue their bid for a berth in the Betfred League 1 promotion play-offs by completing the `double’ over West Wales Raiders at the South Leeds Stadium on Sunday (3.00pm).
The Parksiders, who currently occupy the crucial sixth spot after having lost only one of six games under Kilshaw, will wrap up their regular season seven days after the Raiders match with a visit to Workington Town.
Scotland international forward Joe McClean, who featured in Wests Wales’ recent draw with Doncaster as a loan player (the Raiders, who were on course for victory until the closing seconds, have not beaten a professional Rugby League side since 2013) is available after recovering from a throat injury sustained in last week’s dramatic victory over Coventry Bears.
Aaron Jones-Bishop, however, is ruled out. The threequarter has been banned for eight games by the Rugby Football League for alleged biting in the recent draw at Rochdale Hornets and Hunslet’s strongly mounted appeal against the decision has been unsuccessful.
Fullback Jimmy Watson and second row Brad Hey are still sidelined with long-term injuries while veteran winger Wayne Reittie, who was superb in the victory over Coventry, is rested.
Kilshaw said of Sunday’s fixture against the section’s bottom side: “We will again be naming a very strong 17, and there is no excuse not to perform. We have been focusing on the one per cent things, and the group needs to transition how they practice into a performance on Sunday.”
He added: “West Wales have been improving every week and will be encouraged by the way they have competed this season. We need to match their enthusiasm and aggression, or we will come unstuck!”
Hunslet’s squad v West Wales is Lewis Young, Reece Chapman-Smith, Kiedan Hartley, Will Cooke, Matty Chrimes, Simon Brown, Dom Brambani, Jy Mel Coleman, Dave Gibbons, Jordan Andrade, Vila Halafihi, Nathan Conroy, Alex Rowe, Harry Kidd, Duane Straugheir, Harvey Hallas, Lewis Wray, Joe Mclean, Mikey Wood, Harvey Whiteley, Frazer Morris.
What’s happened regarding the recruit from Whitehaven. No sign of him anywhere