looking forward to the game.
from comments on the Eagles match we should have a chance of
some points if we play as well plus we have got players coming back
but who would you leave out?

I didnt go to Sheffield but I would say Tony will know who needs a rest & who can handle 2 games in 4 days
I am looking forward to the match also .

Is Paul Cooke playing ?

We will probably know when we get to the ground .

very much looking forward to the game. Before the sheffield game i thought if we got anything out of the next three league games it would be a bonus, well we got a point at sheffield , so on home turf, i am hoping for at least the same. The team will probably, if some are available , be rotated. Not sure who is ready to come back, cooke was ill, hopefully he's over it, and would be nice to welcome back waterman.

Out of all the players available we have the basis of a really good side.
The players that came in against Sheffield made a big difference and deserve to come into contention for a place.
Halifax are the top side in this division at the moment and only our strongest side will compete.
So to just play a rotation side would not be the right thing in my book.
I would play my best players in their best positions end of.

BIG Match Preview

Doncaster Rugby League Club will battle it out against top of the table Halifax RLFC at the Keepmoat Stadium on Easter Monday in round nine of the Kingstone Press Championship - this will be the Dons second game in just four days.

The game will conclude the first ever football and rugby league double header at the stadium as the newly formed ‘Club Doncaster’ makes its debut. League One leaders Doncaster Rovers will entertain fourth placed Swindon Town at 12.15pm in a Sky televised game and the Dons will kick-off at 3:30pm.

Doncaster’s head coach Tony Miller is likely to make a number of changes to the team who performed very well against Sheffield on Good Friday. The blue and gold’s pushed last year’s Grand Final winners all the way in a well-fought and entertaining 32-26 defeat in the second Autism Plus South Yorkshire Trophy.

Dons’ talisman Paul Cooke is expected to replace Wakefield’s Matt Wildie at stand-off and there’s a return to the fold for Lee Waterman who has missed the last two games through a groin injury.

Prop forward Mark Castle could also make his return to the team along with winger Dennis Tuffour and second rower Craig Robinson who both sat out the Eagles game. Miller will have the Wildcats’ Danny Cowling, Liam Kay and Kyle Trout available on dual registration plus Huddersfield’s on loan winger Ben Blackmore.

Miller said: “The Easter weekend is always a tough period for the players and we’ve probably had the hardest fixtures of the lot.

“I was delighted with our performance on Friday night against Sheffield and we could’ve quite easily taken all three points with a bit more luck.

“Halifax are a very strong side and you only have to look at the league table for evidence of that, but if we can play like we did on Friday then we’ve got a good chance of getting something from the game.

“We’re very much looking forward to the test and we hope the people of Doncaster turn out in good numbers and support the team on this special day.”

Halifax are expected to be largely unchanged, although hooker Karl Ashall and new recruit Luke Adamson will probably figure in Karl Harrison’s squad for the trip to South Yorkshire. Anthony Bowman will miss out after picking up an injury in the club’s recent 60-6 demolition of Dewsbury Rams and Rikki Sheriffe will replace him at centre.

All fans who intend to come early for refreshments are advised to use the Belle Vue bar which is next to the player’s entrance in the West Stand and don’t forget to pick up a copy of the club’s new-look match day magazine.

We’ve added eight more pages of content (now 40) and froze the price at just £2. There’s a host of new features and you can win a family day out at Doncaster Dome in our new regular competition.

Make sure you don’t miss the inaugural double header this Easter Monday at the Keepmoat. Miss it, miss out!

[url=https://twitter.com/doncaster_rlfc#COYD[/url

Match Day Sponsors:

Main match sponsor: Centurion (Europe) Ltd Match ball sponsor: Kiwi Café
The club would like to thank our sponsors for their kind support.

Previous Four Meetings:

21st May 2009: Halifax RLFC win 36-4 at Keepmoat Stadium
19th April 2009: Halifax RLFC win 44-12 at Shay Stadium
9th September 2007: Halifax RLFC win 52-24 at The Shay
22nd July 2007: Halifax RLFC win 44-30 at Keepmoat Stadium

Match Day Admission:

Polite notice: please purchase your match day ticket from the stadium’s ticket office before entering the turnstiles.

Ticket prices for the double header are as follows:

Adults £30
Concessions £20
Children (U16) £5

Meanwhile Dons season ticket holders can purchase a ticket for the Rovers game at the following prices:

Adults £15
Concessions £10
Juniors £1

Doncaster Rovers season ticket holders can purchase a ticket for the Dons game at the following prices:

Adults £10
Concessions £7
Juniors £1

Standard individual tickets for the Dons game are available at the normal price (Adults £15, concessions £12, juniors £3 and under 5’s go free). Please contact the ticket office on 01302 762576 for further information.

Referee:

P Brooke

Good news regarding the returning players . Interesting to see what the crowd will be hopefully the biggest crowd of the season so far.

COYD

hopefully yes

The Dons are absolute shiite, and if Halifax score first I'm walking.

Dons score.
34-6

Well I stopped, talk about Jekyll and Hyde.
That side was totally not up to speed to take on Halifax.
They showed what they could do in the second half and in a way took the p/ss out of themselves in the process.
No bonus point!!!!!!!!!!

was like watching two different sides . thought we were going to sneak the bonus point

Well, first half I think we contributed to 5 out of their 6 tries giving away stupid penalties & knocking on.
Halifax are a good side but we didnot respect the ball.

We played better in the 2nd haf & took charge when Fax were down to 12 men.

I'm sorry but something has got to change; we can't keep making excuses; we played well, , unfortunate, good effort, strong performance etc etc etc.

We are second bottom of the league and no signs that we will not drop further! There has to be changes soon or forget staying in this league.

6 defeats on the trot and another two to come in the league before things can get better.
That side was an inferior side to that fielded against Sheffield.
Miller may disagree, but it was.
Cooke was one dimensional again.
Has he an alternative to kicking the ball high and hoping for a lucky break?
I know he has somewhere.
The difference between the two sides was the ZZZZZZIIIIIIPPPPPPP of Halifax.
Once it gets to Cooke the zip has gone.
Sorry Paul, but please let's have a bit more than just passing the ball along the line and high kicks.
And what on earth has happened to Fawcett??

time to admit that some players just aren't good enough in this league.
powley brings nothing to the team. can't pass and rarely tackles.
waternan frustrated me today..is it so difficult to just run without a hop skip & jump first?
felt sorry for the young winger today. that mistake must really have really played on his mind but he picked himself up and played well..
usual players had good games..always same players emmett kesik spurr. also think kyle trout was good.

I think Powley would benefit some time in an U20 side. Kesik & Emmett as hookers .

I am sure we will turn this around the top 5 are pulling away but after that we can compete but it must be for 80 mins.

First half was total and utter e and I like Stand offish was thinking about leaving at half time, but i decided to stay and see what the second half would bring. Second half was a massive improvement and imo the lads did them selves and us as fans proud. Some other teams would have collapsed in the second half and lose by a big margin but the lads took the game to Halifax and were unlucky not to have come away with a bonus point. Thought Cooke took control of the game in the second half and produced two marvellous try assists, Adam Scott was sensational when he came on and Leafy (MR DONS) gave his all. Cnt afford to give Fev the same head start. Waterman back to Centre and Butts at full back for me. COYD DONNYTILIDIE

Photos - www.flickr.com/photos/r82photogr ... 140309893/

Photos - www.flickr.com/photos/r82photogr ... 140309893/

So Cooke is the new GH? He is not the problem he tries to get things moving but no good if the players around him take the wrong options. We won the second half 16. Nil and few sides will come close to that. What he needs is a clever no7 to work alongside and we don't have one and Goulding was not the answer either. We need to stop giving away silly penalties a number of which resulted in tries and it was the same at seagulls. Agree with the comments re Powley and assume Edwards omission was due to injury and after a great performance by Butts on Friday he surely earned a place today. Cooke is not the problem but TM needs to give the half time team talk before the first half!

I think we need some continuity in team selection(barring injuries) now that Easter is out of the way !

And of course who Wakefield back this week.

[youtubexjjyW8SrQ8k[/youtube

Thats how the agreement works !