MATCH INFORMATION
WHITEHAVEN V KEIGHLEY COUGARS - BETFRED LEAGUE ONE ROUND ONE
SUNDAY 17TH FEBRUARY - 3PM KICK OFF
RECREATION GROUND - WHITEHAVEN - CA28 9DD
REFEREE - Mr Stephen Race (Wakefield)
ADMISSION PRICES:
ADULT - £16 (SEATED); £15 (STANDING)
CONCESSIONS - £11 (SEATED); £10 (STANDING)
JUNIORS - £5
A MESSAGE FROM CRAIG LINGARD
It is still a bit surreal that we are preparing for a league game. It is just a big positive that we have got there. Our supporters are putting on a third bus for the trip to Whitehaven.
Now we are getting to the competitive games and the league season is starting, it's time to look forward, rather than looking back. It is time to put the well-documented problems that happened here in the past. It was a nightmare to live through.
We now have people in charge who have the club's best interests at heart.
We've got to take positives out of the negatives. There is a lot more interest in the club in the local community now.
It is always a test going to Whitehaven. You never get an easy ride up there. They have played three or four friendlies during pre-season, so they will be a lot more prepared than we will be. They have quality out wide that we need to be aware of.
Our squad is looking OK. There are still areas we need to strengthen. It is difficult to do that now as the majority of players are signed up to clubs for the season.
We are looking at the loan market. Any new players have got to be right for us. The blend we have is right for what we need. In Jamie Thackray, Buster Feather and Jason Muranka we have a lot of experience and, with the youngsters, that is a really good mix for us.
It's a really tough, competitive league. I don't want us to worry about when we will get the 12 points back. We've got to concentrate on the games. The quicker we can knock them off the better. It is there in the back of a minds though.
League One is going to be really tough this season. Newcastle Thunder have recruited from the Championship and Super League. They are the hot favourites. Hunslet and Doncaster are strong. Workington have spent a lot of money, they will be a real challenge. Oldham are always a strong team.
TEAM NEWS & 19 MAN SQUADS
Head Coach Craig Lingard could give as many as 12 players their competitive debuts for the Cougars this Sunday afternoon in Cumbria.
Fresh from signing with the club this week Lewis Wray, Jack Arnold and Reece Williams are all included in the 19 man squad by Linners.
The Cougars will be without Kieran Moran who is currently recovering from an injury sustained in pre-season trianing that will sideline the Scotland international Prop for 8 weeks.
Alex Williams, who was stretchered off during last weekend's defeat to Leeds Rhinos, has had his injury confirmed as a Grade 2 Hamstring Tear and is sidelined for a minimum of 8 to 12 weeks.
Featherstone loanees Spencer Darley and Darren Forde are also ruled out, the former with a sprained ankle sustained in the Derek Hallas Trophy defeat, with Jordan Parry and Mark Barlow both unavailable for selection.
COUGARS SQUAD: Arnold; Bailey; Beckett; Cooke; Coventry; Dixon; Feather; Hallett; Hardcastle; Levy; Lynam; Miller; Million; Muranka; Seeley; Thackray; Welham; R Williams; Wray.
Whitehaven welcome back Papua New Guinea international half Dion Aiye who has been out of action since suffering a knock to the lower shin in a pre-season defeat to Barrow which was confirmed as a soft-tissue injury.
Head Coach Gary Charlton is without Aiye's fellow PNG international Jessie Joe Parker and back Jordan Burns who have both been ruled out through injury.
Prop Ethan Kelly, on trial from amateur club Milliom, is not included in the squad to face the Cougars.
WHITEHAVEN SQUAD: Aiye; Bradley; Brown; Bulman; Coward; Dowsett; Forrester; Holliday; Moore; Mossop; Newton; B Phillips; C Phillips; Shackley; Taylor; D Thompson; J Thompson; While; Wilkinson.
VIEW FROM THE OPPOSITION CAMP
Speaking in the News and Star his week, Whitehaven Head Coach Gary Charlton said: "We said all along that we want to improve week to week and I think that’s been the case. There are still areas where we need to work on but we are making steady progress.
“I thought we played some good stuff in possession against Newcastle while we have worked hard on our defence. However, there are still some areas which needs a bit more work before we are at where we want to be.
"We are not getting carried away with scoring 46 points against the second favourites to win League One because we know it was well off Newcastle's full squad.
“But we had a number of players missing, too, and in the end, you can only beat what’s put in front of you.
"We are hopeful that both Dion Aiye and Jessie Joe Parker will be available for the game against the Cougars while Jordan Burns will also be in contention.”
PLAYER IN FOCUS WITH JAMIE THACKRAY
Following signing with the club, Head of Media Joshua Chapman caught up with Prop Jamie Thackray.
JC: Welcome to the club Jamie, what attracted you to Keighley?
JT: I’ve got a few friends here at the club, such as Jack Miller and Benn Hardcastle, and I’ve had a year out of the game and I was sat home just twiddling my thumbs, missing the banter with the lads and still hungry to play.
I’ve played in a few charity games so I know I can still run about and Craig Lingard is a great bloke so I thought might as well come down, give it a crack and see how it goes.
JC: As a player with your experience who has played at the highest level of the game, how do you feel you can bring the younger members of the squad through and develop their games?
JT: I think if the younger lads bring their enthusiasm then I can show them what I’ve learnt over the years in my tackle technique or how to run a line.
If they want to ask my any kind of questions about the game or as I’m a qualified PT I can help the lads with what is the best food to eat before a game or any technique work in the gym then I can help them in that way.
I know I’m knocking on a bit in terms of age but once they see me play then they’ll like what they get to see.
JC: An experienced head in a young pack is always a welcome addition, how will that help the forwards going into the new season?
JT: It is a young team even though there are a few older boys in there and in this league I reckon it’s more about the speed of a team around the pitch that will win you games.
I’m not training at the moment because I put my back out last week at work lifting a big 300 litre cylinder but I’ll be back training this week but if the boys can learn to cover me on the lines I play and push with me then they’ll learn what is effective and what works in a game.
JC: You took a year out of the game, why was that?
JT: It was nothing personal, I was just getting a bit bored with the game and wanted to do some travelling because when you’re playing Rugby League you don’t get much time to do anything but train, eat, sleep, play and then recovery ahead of the next game.
I thought to myself that I’d take a year out, go see the world and now I’ve done that I feel I still have a year or two left in me so I want to crack on, help the young kids in the squad out.
Obviously Keighley are in a bit of a hole at the moment so I just want to dig in, help the club and the team and help bring these young kids through.
JC: Finally from me Jamie, what are you looking for personally going into the new season?
JT: Personally, all I’m looking to do is stay fit and healthy and help the young kids out.
Obviously I want to let my talking be done out on the field and people who have watched me play like the way I like to play.
I run hard, I tackle hard and I’m just looking to go well really and push Keighley on and hopefully towards the top of the league.
COUGAR CONVOY UPDATE
The Keighley Cougars Supporters Trust have two 47 seater buses heading north to Whitehaven to back the boys in the opening fixture of the Betfred League One season.
The buses will be leaving at 10:30am from Keighley Wetherspoons and Wetherspoons are encouraging supporters to arrive early should they wish to order a breakfast.
One downside is though that since announcing the increase in capacity on the 2nd bus we have had a arge volume of people contact stating they can no longer travel with us.
This will come at a considerable cost to the supporters club. Due to this, in future tickets for the bus will be sold in advance and no seat will be reserved until a ticket as been purchased. Thanks for your understanding.
The club would like supporters to send messages of support both through video and written word and send them to the boys through social media and the best will be posted on the Cougars Facebook and Twitter channels and all will be passed on to the players.
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