Boxing Day derby: Star outside backs trio set to miss Batley Bulldogs’ festive clash with Dewsbury Rams

The traditional festive clash will see the Bulldogs welcome the recently relegated Rams to the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium on Thursday, December 26, kick off 12pm.

But the Championship side will be without the three key outside backs due to Butterworth breaking his hand in training, Render, who signed from Hunslet, recovering from surgery on a detached retina, and Kear’s work commitments.

Head coach Mark Moxon told the Reporter Series:

“It is a game we want to take seriously and perform in. But, having said that, we have got a few people unavailable for it unfortunately.

“Jack Render had surgery on a detached retina that he came with. It was a bit of a surprise as he didn’t realise he had it.

“Robbie Butterworth had an incident in training where he broke his hand. He is going to be a minimum of six weeks. It happened a couple of weeks ago so this is going to be too early for him.

“And Elliot Kear is rostered onto work at this moment in time so we are a little bit light on outside backs. It is just sods law that they are all in the same position.

“That is just the way it is.

“We will probably run with a few people out of position but that is good preparation for when we need to do it during a game where we have to switch things around a little bit.”

Last year’s Boxing Day fixture saw the Bulldogs recover from a 12-0 deficit to draw 12-12 in front of a healthy festive crowd at Dewsbury’s FLAIR Stadium in what was Moxon’s first game in charge as head coach.

Delivering a Christmas message to the Batley fans ahead of the 2025 Championship campaign, Moxon said:

“I would like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and thank the Batley fans all for their support in 2024. It is support which is well needed.

“It’s always a challenge at Batley and it will continue to be so in 2025. We are going to need the support as much, if not more than ever, in what is going to be a strong competition in 2025.”