Rams hand outderby debuts

With just 12 days to go until the showdown, the whole squad have shown they are eager to play in the festive clash.

Coach Glenn Morrison, who will announce the club’s squad numbers in the coming days, said: “I will be picking my strongest squad from the players who are available but I want to give a hit-out to as many of the new signings as I can.

“Some of these players are relatively unknown to the Championship and it will give the fans a first look at what they are about.

“Everyone wants to play but unfortunately I can’t pick them all and it is going to be difficult telling the players who won’t be involved.

“We have 13 new players and we won’t all gel straight away but we want to put on a performance for the fans and I want us to perform as coach at my new club.”

The dual registration players will spend pre-season with their parent Super League clubs and will not be available on Boxing Day but Rams fans will be eager to see a number of Morrison’s other new signings.

There is expected to be a new half-back partnership after Jy-mel Coleman joined from Keighley and Aaron Brown from Leeds Rhinos and with Scott Spaven very much in the mix following an impressive season last term, it will be interesting to see who Morrison chooses to play in the derby.

Morrison added: “It is a friendly, if you can say that, but it will be good to see who blends well with each other and it will provide us with a good learning curve as we aim to get ready for the first league game against Doncaster.”

Another exciting prospect at the Rams is Papua New Guinea forward Makali Aizue, who is sure to excite Dewsbury followers with his powerful running having joined from Halifax in the close season.