Batley v Halifax preview: Panthers’ physicality praised by Bulldogs head coach as Fax director calls for ‘basic rugby league’
Halifax Panthers travel to Batley Bulldogs this Sunday, June 14 (kick off 3pm), for what is set to be an emotional West Yorkshire derby at the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium.
The afternoon will present the first chance for Batley to honour former head coach, and rugby league legend, John Kear, who sadly passed away on Sunday, May 31, on his way back from the Challenge Cup final.
Fax director Adam Butterfield told the Courier: “I couldn’t believe it and I can’t put it into words. It will be a massively emotional game. Both teams know each other well, and a lot of people from Halifax knew John.
“He was a big thing and there will be a lot of passion in the game.”
The Panthers travel to Mount Pleasant on the back of a dramatic victory at Swinton Lions, thanks to a late Jesse Soric try.
Butterfield said: “To have the fight in them and still dig deep to get the win with the last play of the game was great. It was far from pretty. We just dug deep.
“There is a lot of work to still do. The lads are tired and it has been a very big season with a lot of problems off the field. It is one of those things but we are battling. Fair play to Swinton, they gave us a good game in the second half, they completed their sets better than us and played better rugby for 35 minutes. It just so happened it was our day.
“It was a nice feeling. I was straight down to the touchline to have a big cuddle with Jesse.”
He added: “It is going to be tough against Batley, but if we do what we do in training, then there is no reason why we can’t win. If we play basic rugby league then we stand a chance.”
Bulldogs’ head coach James Ford, who led his side to a third consecutive win at Goole Vikings last Saturday, is wary of Fax’s physical strengths.
He said: “I thought our contact was off and Goole rolled us a little bit and we are now about to face a very, very physical team. They are going to try and win the physical battle and we need to front up a little bit better than what we did against Goole.
“Halifax have got a good team and, as a club, they are important to the Championship. They are up there with London and Newcastle in terms of physicality from what I’ve seen this season.
“We are going to have to be good.”