HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS v ROCHDALE HORNETS

Huddersfield Giants face one of their most serious challenges in the standout match of this weekend's Northern Ford Premiership round at the McAlpine Stadium on Sunday when they face up to Rochdale Hornets.

Under the guidance of former Rochdale and Wigan hooker Martin Hall, the men from Spotland Stadium have emerged as credible Premiership force and nobody knows that better than Giants head coach Tony Smith.

He said: "I saw Hornets five or six times last season and on video this year. They're a very good side and we're taking them very seriously.

"We're going into the game with virtually a full strength team. Last week I lost Ben Cooper (hamstring) and Chris Molyneux (head injury) but they are both available to me this week.

"My only non-starter is Mick Slicker but he'll be out for three months with an eye socket fracture.

"This match will be as intense as a Super League game. We've been trying to maintain that kind of intensity all season but this match certainly fits that bill."

Head Hornet Hall is under no illusions about the Giants. "I'm no different to any other coach in the Northern Ford Premiership.

"Like them I recognise that Huddersfield are full-time professionals and we're not. It makes a massive difference to your preparation and there's no point in beating about the bush on this subject. It gives them a massive advantage.

"This match is a big ask for us but we've prepared well. I don't think we've played well yet this season but we'll be going to McAlpine determined not to let ourselves down."

Hall too doesn't have that many injury worries - winger Marlon Billy is still out of action with a knee problem - and he said: "I expect the team to be pretty much the same as that which beat Gateshead Thunder last weekend."

He added: "Huddersfield have some impressive players in Chris Thorman, Stanley Gene and Steve McNamara and we shall have to be aware of them for the full 80 minutes."

WHITEHAVEN v BATLEY BULLDOGS

Whitehaven coach Paul Cullen is not a man to be easily impressed, after all he has been around the professional Rugby League circuit for quite some time.

So when he says something has made him sit up and take notice, you can bet your life something special has happened.

Last week Cullen was impressed by Batley Bulldogs' 56-4 win over Gary Moorby's Keighley Cougars.

"It wasn't just the fact that they won," said the West Cumbrian club's boss. "It was the size of the victory that took my breath away.

"In fact most of the Rugby League world sat up and took notice of that scoreline.

"Keighley had won their previous two games including beating Barrow.

"That means that we will be in for a tough ride against the Bulldogs who will certainly have their tails up after that win."

Cullen's team plans have been hit by the fact that prop Paul Sherwin underwent a shoulder reconstruction operation in Liverpool this week while Wesley Wilson is still struggling with an Achilles tendon strain.

Batley coach Paul Storey expects to be able to field almost the same team that demolished the Cougars.

He said: "I've told my players it will be a question of building on what we achieved last week.

"We needed that victory to put our season back on the rails and the boys came up with the goods big style.

"Whitehaven will be a tough nut to crack at the Recreation Ground because they a competitive, physical side. We just have to play football and build on our confidence."

KEIGHLEY COUGARS v HUNSLET HAWKS

The high level of expectation is still proving a millstone on the shoulders of the emerging Cougars team.

Head coach Gary Moorby says: "People keep forgetting that this team has been built from scratch after the club's torrid close season battle for survival.

"Apart from Jason Ramshaw and Phil Stephenson the rest of the squad comprises of 19, 20 and 21 year old rookie professionals.

"They've played seven or eight times together and it's taking a little bit of time to bed the team down.

"I've said before it's a question of taking two steps forward and one back. Last week Batley Bulldogs thrashed us after winning our previous two games and now we've got to take another step forward.

"I should be able to field the same shape of team we've had for the last two or three games with Carl Smith possibly able to resume on the wing after his rib injury and Tommy Gallagher, a prop on loan from Leeds Rhinos, coming into contention.

"I'm contemplating the situation and, depending on the injury position, there could be one or two changes."

Hunslet Hawks matched Featherstone Rovers in the try-scoring department last week and lost out in the goal-kicking department.

Coach Roy Sampson said: "My team are learning all the time and we're looking at this game for some points.

"It will be difficult for us but I'm sure we can make it." Hawks second rower Jason Firth, a signing from Gateshead, misses this weekend because of work commitments while another of their back rowers David Jessey is ruled out with a hamstring.

But some of his problem has been reduced by the return after a sternum injury of Cumbrian Nick Caunt.

WORKINGTON TOWN v YORK

Town have suffered a savage blow with the loss of their leading try scorer Graham Lewthwaite for eight weeks with a fractured thumb.

Town coach Gary Murdock recognised the impact on his team and said: "Graham's been playing really well this season and his strike rate has been crucial to the side. But we've lost him and now we have to get on with the job."

Murdock is set to call into the side Scott Chilton who made an impressive return to playing last week after missing the last six months with a series of leg injuries including hamstring strain and Achilles tendon pulls.

Added Murdock: "This is an important match for us. We've played three of the four top Premiership sides and got nothing from them.

"This match against York and then Dewsbury Rams are important to us before the start of the National League Cup campaign.

"We need to return to winning ways and we couldn't fail but notice that York won their first match of the season last week.

"That should give them confidence and I expect to see them improve steadily with all the new players they have recruited."

Buoyed by that win over Chorley Lynx last week York could not have a much more difficult task that travelling to Derwent Park.

But York's Australian coach Leo Epifania still had his feet firmly on the ground and he realised that his team rebuilding plans have some way to go.

"I'll have to make some judgements after training this week but I don't anticipate too many problems with team selection," he said.

"We got it right for 20 minutes in each half against the Lynx. Now we have to assess what didn't happen for us in the other 40 minutes. "If we can take more control of our own game then we'll be in much better shape to start considering what other clubs can do."

Leo does anticipate some changes with John Liddell free after his one-match suspension. But he will be checking on injured pair Shaun Austerfield (knee) and Craig Barrow (back) before making his final selection.

FEATHERSTONE ROVERS v SWINTON LIONS

Featherstone coach Ian Fairhurst has already warned his team: "Remember the lessons from last week's game against Hunslet Hawks.

"We took our foot off the gas against the Hawks and it almost cost us the game. We don't want to be in the same situation against the Lions.

"Swinton have had their fair share of problems this week and they'll be coming to the Lionheart Stadium with little or no pressure on them. "They're literally fighting for their lives and that will make them very difficult opponents for my team".

Craig Booth has to face the Disciplinary Committee and has a knee injury while former Castleford forward Ian Tonks is still; struggling to overcome a pelvic injury.

"It's a no-win situation for us," added Fairhurst. "But we've got to do what we got to do. All I want from this game is the two points for a win.

"But I don't want my players to be complacent. Swinton almost beat Sheffield Eagles last week and that's not bad form after what they've had to endure.

"They'll have to win a game sometime and it's up to us to make sure that it's not Featherstone Rovers that takes the fall."

Swinton's hard-pressed coach Tony Humphries combines his on-field job with that of the suffering club's Commercial Manager and that sometimes gives him more information than his players can use.

"I know what the real situation is," he said. "There's no doubt it is difficult but the other half of my job is to make sure that the players are shielded from our struggle to secure a long term home.

"I don't think that really think too much about where Swinton can play because they are too busy trying to win their first game in nine outings.

"We've not won at Featherstone for 40 years but I'm going to tell the players that anything is possible. We shall being going the Lionheart Stadium in the right frame of mind."

Humphries is relatively free of injury worries and the players who almost beat the Eagles at Gigg Lane last Sunday are expected to take the field at Rovers.

CHORLEY LYNX v DEWSBURY RAMS

Lynx coach Graeme West is looking at a gaping hole in his team that is proving troublesome to a club who threatened to do so much better at the start of the Premiership season.

The former New Zealand Test star was a reflective mood when he said: "It looks as though my stand off Liam Jones may not be fit and its still not clear whether Welsh international Jon Duffy is heading back to Leigh Centurions or not.

"Not having a settled halfback partnership is certainly making life more difficult for us and we need to solve this situation as soon as we can."

West is looking to Safraz Patel to replace Jones and Chris Robinson to step in at halfback.

Also of concern to West is the knee ligament and shoulder injury former Wigan hooker Ian Talbot sustained in the defeat at York last Sunday and Martin Roden is standing by to settle into the middle of the front row.

Much happier by any point of view is Dewsbury Rams coach Andy Fisher. The recruitment of several West Yorkshire based former Gateshead Thunder players has stabilised the Rams whose early season form was extremely shaky.

One of the northeast imports Robin Jowitt is to see a specialist about his knee injury but, apart from that concern, Fisher has very few team selection problems.

"I targeted five winnable away games at the start of the season," explained Fisher. "This is one of them but I'm under no illusions it will be tough.

"It remains to be seen what team strengthening Graeme West can pull off before Sunday but I'm still confident we can take the points at Victory Park."