Whitehaven face their toughest Championship test of the season when they visit leaders Featherstone Rovers tomorrow.
After a 56-16 mauling at Widnes last weekend it’s probably the fixture they would have wanted least to follow up with.
Although Leigh might still have something to say about it, Featherstone look the strongest outfit in the Championship and hot favourites to finish top of the pile.
Coach Jonty Gorley has named his 21 for the game and has full-back Davy Litten available again, back on loan from Hull FC.
Litten made his debut against Workington Town in the Easter derby and scored a try inside five minutes, going on to impress with his confident performance.
Cain Robb, the hooker on loan from Castleford, will make his second start in Haven colours while trialist George Collins continues to try and earn himself a contract.
The former Huddersfield and England Academy player, more recently released by Castleford, has joined when Haven have had some tough fixtures – culminating in Saturday’s trip to Featherstone.
Two other loanees, Harvey Barron from Hull FC and Perry Singleton from Workington also continue in the squad.
The former Toulouse skipper and halfback Jonathan Ford, who guided the French club to an unbeaten season in 2021 and promotion, is in line for his Featherstone debut.
A dispute led to his departure alongside Mark Kheirallah before Toulouse could begin their first Super League crusade.
Kheirallah recently joined Featherstone – who Toulouse beat to secure promotion last season – and his former skipper Ford followed him to the club as the Rovers look to go one better than last season.
Connor Jones, who has been handed a two-match ban by the disciplinary panel for a dangerous throw, won’t start his ban until next week so is included in Fev’s 21.
Whitehaven will pick from: Aiye, Barron, Bradley, Bulman, Collins, Cooper, Dawson, Dixon, Graham, Holliday, Hudson, King, Litten, Martin, McAvoy, Moore, Olstrom, Robb, Singleton, Walker, Williams.
Featherstone from: Pickersgill, Briscoe, Leilua, Hall, Kopczak, Jones, Lockwood, Ferres, Sene-Lefao, Bussey, Wildie, Davies, Moors, Hellewell, Smith, Cooper, Cuthbertson, Jacks, Kheirallah, Ford, Hepi.
