Fax boss: We can beat Rovers if we are at our very best

Rovers, relegated from Super League last year, have stormed through their opening six games, with the only hint of a hiccup coming against a fired-up Rochdale side at Spotland.

“They’re very good; they’ve been winning at a canter if I’m honest,” admitted Marshall, who also warned his players of the potential consequences of allowing themselves to talk up the chances of an upset.

“They’ve got some very good players in key positions, with Jamie Ellis and Jordan Abdul at half back and Shaun Lunt at hooker, and they’ve been blowing teams away, scoring 40-50 points each week.

“The players are up for the challenge, and we think we can come up with a plan to cause them some problems, but I’m mindful we were saying exactly the same things before the Championship game at Leigh last summer.

“We really fancied that before kick off as well, but we went over there and got pumped by 40-odd points.

“I’m wary that the same thing could happen this weekend if we don’t turn up with the right attitude needed to produce the performance to match our ambitions.

“There’s no pressure on us, but I think we need every player, from one to 17, to play at their best.

“If we do that, then we have a chance.

“If we don’t, it could be a difficult afternoon.”

Fax beat League 1 Hunslet in the Challenge Cup last weekend, with a side showing eight changes to the one that beat London a week earlier - producing easily their best showing of the season in the process - stumbling to an untidy 20-6 win.

“We weren’t overly happy with how we played, but it will be a completely different team this weekend,” said Marshall.

Fax are tipped to recall all five players rested last weekend; captain and former Rovers hero Scott Murrell, in-form forwards Ryan Boyle, Simon Grix and Jacob Fairbank and winger James Saltonstall.

Marshall will also call on dual-registered reinforcements from Salford, with hooker Josh Wood, winger Jake Bibby and forward Ryan Lannon all set to play.