Flying winger Chris Lambert is away for a fortnight so it gives Andrew Hare a chance to shine whil Aaron Myers returns at openside in place of Carl Miller who has work commitments.
It is still a very mobile side and it promises to be an interesting outing on the western fringe of North2East. Rochdale are a pacy outfit with a good back row and, like us, are keen to run the ball at every opportunity. Let's hope the Ref, who is from the West Country, can keep up!
It will be a hard test. Dale managed to win on Old Crossleyans narrow pitch a couple of weeks ago, but didn't run up the big win against Percy Park last week that was perhaps expected. They did though win 30-18.
So far we've managed to stay level with the leading pack despite some stuttering performances. If we are to do anything this season we will have to get points at places like Rochdale and Morpeth. Perhaps the fact that Rochdale is just over the Yorkshire border may help as the White Rose county seems to have the hoodoo on us.
West: Todd, Hare, Edwards, Hodgson, Painter, Moss, Tighe [capt], Carr, Sawyer, Cullinane, Henderson, Davies, D Boatman, Myers, J. Boatman. Reps: Norris, Garside, Wallis.