MATCH INFORMATION
KEIGHLEY COUGARS v NEWCASTLE THUNDER - BETFRED LEAGUE ONE ROUND TWENTY-TWO
SUNDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER - 3PM KICK OFF
COUGAR PARK - KEIGHLEY - BD21 3RF
REFEREE - MR LIAM STAVELEY (BRADFORD)
ADMISSION:
ADULT - £10
CONCESSIONS - £5
JUNIORS - FREE
LOVERS: "I WANT LAST HURRAH THIS SEASON"
SENDING the Keighley Cougars faithful away with hope over the winter is number one priority for head coach Rhys Lovegrove as they bid farewell to a turbulent season this weekend.
After a season of hefty points deductions and managerial changes, Cougars bring the curtain down on their 2019 Betfred League One season when they host Newcastle Thunder on Sunday (3pm kick-off).
Following a two-week absence, Cougars closed their away campaign with a 48-12 defeat against Doncaster at the Keepmoat Stadium last weekend.
Lovegrove wants his squad to give the loyal Cougars fans something to shout about with victory over their high-flying visitors on Sunday.
But the Australian has put the existing squad on notice that a number of new faces will join the Cougars during pre-season, as he looks to step up the levels of performances for next year.
He said: "They are an amazing group of supporters. It's an amazing club.
"We are going to be successful at this club. We need a push to create a winning mentality here. I want to win games and win trophies. That's what I'm here for.
"I want to make sure every single position has competition.
"It's up to the players to step up to the bar and sort it out. They have pre-season to sort it out."
Lovegrove added, despite his side's poor loss in South Yorkshire, he has been impressed with some of his squad' members' individual performances over recent weeks, including Cougars' Serbian international Jason Muranka.
He said: "Muranka is outstanding and has raised the bar. Aaron Levy has been outstanding, 'Buster' Feather has been good all year.
"We will have three months of hard training during pre-season. We want players who will be competitive against these big clubs.
"A lot of players are coming into this squad. I want to create a very competitive environment.
"Newcastle are in the play-offs, we are playing one of the best teams. If we can perform well, we will have a good shot and come away with a decent performance.
"If we continue to replicate the errors we have been, players will be sitting in the sheds having the same conversations.
"I want a squad featuring big, strong middles next year.
"We will bring in wingers, there will be a lot of new faces but I have made sure I have kept a really good core of the lads that were already here."
TEAM NEWS
Head Coach Rhys Lovegrove will be without Spencer Darley and captain Benn Hardcastle who are both ruled out with concussions sustained in last Sunday's defeat to Doncaster.
They're replaced in the squad by Mark Barlow and Jordan Parry with the other change in the squad from last weekend seeing Luke Million replace Louis Sheriff.
Dan Parker and Jack Arnold are ruled out through suspension once again and Matt Welham is unavailable for selection.
Jordan Aitchison (Hamstring), Josh Lynam (Neck) and Matt Nicholson (Concussion) all remain long term injuries for the Cougars.
COUGARS: Bailey; Barlow; Cooke; Coventry; Cullimore; Dixon; Feather; Gaylor; Hallas; Hallett; Horn; Levy; Miller; Million; Moran; Muranka; Parry; Prell; Seeley.
Thunder boss Simon Finnigan has made three changes from the side that saw off the North Wales Crusaders last weekend.
Dan Coates, Jack Aldous and Ollie Gowing miss out ahead of Newcastle's final game off the regular season ahead of the play-offs.
They're replaced in the squad by Jack's brother Harry, Liam McAvoy and Jared Blanke.
Aaron Ollett, a member of the Cougars 2016 iPro Sport Cup winning side, is also in the Newcastle squad.
THUNDER: Aldous; Blanke; Brown; Clarke; Clegg; Edwards; Fitzsimmons; Gill; Laulu-Togaga'e; Luckley; McAvoy; Mustapha; Newman; Ollett; Rowe; Simons; Taulapapa; Wright; Young.
INSIDE 2019'S FINAL EDITION OF #CDQ
INSIDE THE FINAL ISSUE OF #CDQ
Pull-out poster of Louis Sheriff
In depth two-part review of the Keighley Cougars 2019 season
A look at the full Cougars career stats of the first team
A full in-depth look at Sunday's opponents, Newcastle Thunder
All the usual columnists
AND MUCH, MUCH MORE FOR JUST £2!
END OF SEASON PARTY
This Sunday following our final game of the season against the Newcastle Thunder is our end of season party!
Following Sunday's game, the first team, the reserves team and coaching staff will be doing a lap of appreciation to show their thank you to the supporters for all their support shown this season.
And we can announce that returning to Cougar Park by popular demand is Miss Ivy Rose!
Ivy and her dancers stole the show at Cougar Pride and are back to do it again next weekend!
They will be joined by showgirls, face painters, character costumes and a DJ til' late!
So we look forward to seeing you down at CP for one last time in 2019 this weekend for what should be a superb afternoon of Rugby League and entertainment!