An all Yorkshire clash in the Betfred Championship will see one sides’ winning run come to an end

Second place takes on third in the Championship as Featherstone Rovers welcome Bradford Bulls to the Millennium Stadium in a Yorkshire derby with both teams in-form approaching the clash. 

Featherstone occupy second place in the league table and have a 100%-win record so far this campaign, claiming seven wins from their opening seven games. Impressively, those seven have included triumphs over London Broncos, Halifax Panthers and York City Knights – fifth, sixth and seventh in the table respectively.

James Webster’s men are topped only by Toulouse on points difference but will be riding the crest of a wave even more with a trip to Wembley in their sights next month for the final of the 1895 Cup. That trip was earned last weekend with a 24-18 victory at home to Widnes Vikings in the semi-finals, making it eight straight victories in all competitions.

Meanwhile, John Kear’s Bradford also sit on 14 points in third but have played a game more than their opponents this weekend. Their only defeat of the campaign so far came on the opening day away at Sheffield Eagles so the Bulls are in fact also on a winning run of seven league games.

Kear’s men recently returned to the Odsal and last week defeated relegation-threatened Newcastle Thunder by a 31-12 scoreline which ensured that they continued their run of 30+ points in each of the last three games.

Whichever way the result falls this weekend, one team’s long winning streak will come to an end and the others will roll on.

Squads

Rovers’ 21-man squad for the all-Yorkshire tie has been named and includes new boys Will Dagger and Darcy Lussick. Both joined earlier this week from Super League clubs, with Dagger on an initial two-week loan from Hull Kingston Rovers and Lussick from Salford Red Devils on the same terms.

While Featherstone are adding to their pack, Bradford have seen two men exit the building this week following the conclusion of their respective loan deals. Ashton Golding (Huddersfield Giants) and Mitieli Vulikijapani (Hull FC) have both returned to their parent clubs in the top flight.

They have though been boosted by the return of versatile prop Reece Hamlett as his loan deal at fellow Championship outfit Swinton Lions comes to an end. Hamlett has been included within the matchday squad for this weekend’s game.

Head-to-Head

It is Featherstone who hold the aces in recent years over Bradford with the Rovers successful in all three of the last meetings including a 41-16 triumph in the early rounds of this year’s Challenge Cup.

The Bulls’ last success against the Rovers also came in the Cup just over two years ago when they produced a memorable comeback in the last 10 minutes having trailed 26-8 to take the game to extra time. Jordan Lilley then kicked a drop goal and Bradford progressed with a 27-26 win.

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