Fans eager to see PNG pair perform

FEATHERSTONE Rovers will give debuts to new signings in the Boxing Day friendly against Doncaster at the Chris Moyles Stadium.
The match which was originally scheduled for Saturday had been deferred.
A club spokesman said: “Unfortunately the match has had to be called off.
“A pitch inspection at  showed areas of the pitch still deep frozen and the car park and spectator areas very dangerous.”
The debutants include Papua New Guinea pair Larsen Marabe and Jessie Joe Nandye (formerly known as Parker), Danny Allan, Jon Grayshon, Liam Welham, Jode Sheriffe and Tommy Lynch.
Featherstone’s team is: Zak Hardaker; Marabe, Sam Smeaton, Liam Welham, Tom Carr; Nandye, Aaron Dobek; Tony Tonks, Jack Lee, Jode Sheriffe, Grayshon, Tim Spears, Allan. Substitutes: Lynch, Gareth Swift, Gareth William-son, Davi Garahan, Charlie Tosh, Adam Jones, Matt Johnson.
Rovers coach Daryl Powell said: “It’s a bit of a mix but there’s quite a few of the new guys in there and it will be good for us to have a look at them.
“I think it’s exciting for the fans to be able to see the PNGguys.
“The team also includes some of the young players we have picked up from other clubs and there is also some experienced players in there as well.
“With the weather conditions, from a team training perpective, it has been quite difficult recently so I am not expecting us to be fluent but I think there’s a lot of quality in that team.
“I am really looking for guys to put their hands up. It’s the first glimpse we’ve got of some individual players in Featherstone colours so it’s a good opportunity for them and it’s a good opportunity for us to see what they’ve got to offer.
“There’s the chance for people to show what they’ve got and put pressure on people who are going to play at a later date.
“There are spots available for people depending on what happens in these pre-season games.
“Sam Smeaton has been training the house down so it will be good to see how he’s developed over the last year and Liam Welham is obviously someone who has a fair bit of pace so he will be looking forward to getting involved at Featherstone.”
Among the players missing are Iain Morrison, Liam Finn, Jon Steel, Ross Divorty, Dane Manning and Mike Coady.
“Some of the guys are those who played in internationals at the end of the season like Morrison, Finn, Steel and Divorty.
“Obviously, we have a further three pre-season games to give players an opportunity to push their claims to start in the Northern Rail Cup games,” Powell said.
Manning has been signed from Leeds on a season-long loan and Coady is dual registered with Rovers and Leeds.
Both players are in the Rhinos’ squad for their Boxing Day match against Wakefield.
Powell said: “As part of our agreement with Leeds they were always going to play for the Rhinos on Boxing Day.
“They have been training with us on a limited basis until Christmas and they will train with us consistently from January onwards.”
Featherstone’s other pre-season games are against Wakefield (Jan 10), Blackpool (Jan 17) and Hull Kingston Rovers (Jan 24).