DAVE WOODS has stressed York City Knights have not given up the ghost in tomorrow’s Challenge Cup tie against Hull KR (3pm) – despite naming a weakened team for the fourth-round clash.
Talismanic pair Chris Thorman and Jack Lee, along with in-form back-rowers Rhys Clarke and Duane Straugheir and winger Dave Sutton, have all been omitted from the 17 as head coach Woods keeps one eye on the busy Co-operative Championship schedule.
It means 30-year-old Thorman cannot reacquaint himself with Super League opposition having spent the bulk of his career in the top tier, most latterly with Rovers’ cross-city rivals, Hull FC.
Head coach Woods – whose side go to Barrow next Saturday and then Batley for a televised clash the following Thursday – believes the club have to concentrate on consolidating in the league, but says the 17 who take to the Huntington Stadium turf will still be focused on capitalising on Rovers’ poor form and pulling off one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s great history.
“Chris doesn’t need to prove anything. He’s played at that level all his career,” said the Aussie.
“He’s been playing really good footy for us in the last few weeks, but we’ve had three games in nine days, we’ve now got a tough one against a Super League team, and we’ve got two games in five days next week. His body is a bit sore and we need him fresh for our league campaign.
“Jack Lee’s the same. His knee isn’t 100 per cent so we’re not going to risk him.
“The likes of Rhys, Dave and Duane are young blokes and we need to protect them a bit. Playing at that intense level every week takes its toll. We’re better off resting them tomorrow and having them fresh for the week after.
“We’ve got to be sensible about what we do as coaches and how we use our squad. We’ve got to do what’s right for the players and the club.”
“We’re not throwing the towel in or saying this game doesn’t matter. But our aim is to stay in the Championship, and doing really well tomorrow, even winning the game, won’t help to keep us up.
“If we get three or four injuries to key players, then we lose them for the league, which is the most important part of our season.”
He added: “We’ve got blokes that are able to do the job – maybe not quite as well, but they’re capable. There’s no pressure on us. All the pressure is on Hull KR. They need a performance. There’s going to be a big crowd and we need to enjoy the occasion, enjoy the game and have some fun, and if we get a result that would be tremendous.”
There will be up to ten men in the Knights’ 17 who either hail from Humberside or who have represented Hull KR or Hull FC.
Woods reckons these players will be particularly keen to do well.
Included among them are James Haynes and Dennis Tuffour, neither of whom has seen much first-team action this season, the former because of a neck/back problem.
The pair have been named in both the reserves squad that goes to Widnes tonight and tomorrow’s first-team party, with full-back Haynes – whose dad is a coach in Rovers’ youth set-up – likely to get a 20-minute run tonight as a warm-up for tomorrow, while work commitments will decide which day former Hull reserves winger Tuffour can play.
Another is Ryan Esders, the Hullensian who left York at the end of 2008 to join Hull KR before moving on to Harlequins and then back to York.
Woods – who will also look at a new half-back pairing of ex-Hull youngster Anthony Thackeray and ex-Rovers junior Benn Hardcastle – was happy to have Haynes back in first-team contention. The 22-year-old starred in last term’s Championship One Grand Final victory after his late-season arrival but played only the opener this year before injury struck.
“He played all right the other week in the reserves, and, being from Hull KR, we thought we would give him a run against them,” said Woods.
“It’s the same with Dennis. Hopefully he can change his work commitments so he can play tomorrow.”
Knights (possible): Haynes, Wilson/Tuffour, Waterman, Ford, Bush, Thackeray, Hardcas-tle, Benson, Barlow, Freer, Esders, Garside, Lewis. Subs: from Waller, Stearman, Presley, Smith, plus one of tonight’s reserves team.
Hull KR: from Cox, Cook, Cockayne, Clinton, Dobson, Fox, Fisher, Galea, Latus, Hodgson, Lovegrove, Netherton, Green, Sheriff, Vella, Watts, Welham, Webster, Wheeldon.
Referee: Gareth Hewer (Whitehaven).
Kick off: 3pm.
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