MATCH PREVIEW: VS MIDLANDS HURRICANES – LEAGUE 1

Rochdale Hornets will be looking to return to winning ways with a victory over Midlands Hurricanes tomorrow.

Hornets will be aiming to pick up their first two points of the season when they travel to the second city.

OVERVIEW

Game: Midlands Hurricanes v Rochdale Hornets 

Competition: League 1

Date: Sunday 19 March

Kick-off: 15:00

Venue: Alexander Stadium

ROCHDALE HORNETS

Hornets will be aiming to return to winning ways after defeats in their last two matches against promotion hopefuls Doncaster and Dewsbury Rams. 

Gary Thornton's side were knocked out of the Challenge Cup in the Third Round by Dewsbury last weekend, as they fell to a 38-18 defeat in West Yorkshire. 

Aiden Roden, Callum Green and Toby Brannan scored tries for Hornets, as Dave Hewitt kicked all three goals in a spirited second half performance. 

MIDLANDS HURRICANES

Hurricanes have had a mixed start to the season, picking up one win from their first two League 1 matches.  

Midlands were victorious at their new Alexander Stadium home on the opening day of the season, as they beat Cornwall 40-6. 

Despite a 50-10 defeat at Dewsbury, Midlands returned to winning ways in the cup last time out with a 19-12 victory at North West Men's League side Orrell St James. 

HEAD TO HEAD

Rochdale have won the last four meetings with the Hurricanes - and Coventry Bears, as previously named - winning 42-34 in the Midlands last season. 

Midlands' last victory over Rochdale was back in 2021, when they beat Hornets 38-30. 

Hurricanes' Hayden Freeman scored a try in each of the three meetings with Rochdale in 2022. 

TEAM NEWS

Head coach Thornton has had to adjust his 21-man squad for the trip to the second city, as club captain Duane Straugheir and Zac Braham miss out due to a one-match suspension sighted by the review panel in Hornets' defeat to Doncaster. 

New signings Sion Jones [signed from Hunslet], Joe Hird [two-week loan, Sheffield Eagles], Lewis Peachey [two-week loan, Sheffield Eagles] and Oliver Brookes [dual-registration deal with Widnes Vikings] have all been included in the initial squad. 

Full 21-man squad: Tyrer, Cooke, O'Keefe, Else, Hewitt, Berry, Killan, Brewin, Aspey, Roden, O'Hanlon, Boardman, Arnold, Clarke, Brannan, Forber, Peachey, Brookes, Hird, Ratcliffe and Jones. 

TICKETING INFORMATION

Tickets for Sunday's match can be bought online on the Midlands Hurricanes website here.

Admission prices as follows: £15 for adults, £10 for concession and £5 for under 16s.