Batley Bulldogs name team including Leeds Rhinos target as WWE wrestler cheers them on

Batley Bulldogs’ team news is in for the Championship Grand Final against Leigh Centurions, in which the Bulldogs are massive underdogs.

They do have one of the most sought after players in the second tier in their side however in the shape of fullback Luke Hooley who is reportedly set to join Super League Grand Finalists Leeds Rhinos in 2023.

He starts at fullback whilst prolific try scorer Jonny Campbell remains on the wing. Ben White and Tom Gilmore are the halves whilst impressive hooker Alistar Leak starts on the bench yet again as coach Craig Lingard names an unchanged team for today’s final.

Opponents Leigh have unsurprisingly named a star-studded team with Krisnan Inu and Blake Ferguson named on the wings.

The centres are impressive with Ed Chamberlain and reported Leeds Rhinos target Nene MacDonald named whilst Caleb Aekins is at fullback.

The halves seen Lachlan Lam play under his dad Adrian hoping for a similar occasion to the Clearys this morning and is joined by Joe Mellor with Ben Reynolds on the bench alongside Championship Player of the Year Edwin Ipape, Ben Nakubuwai and Kai O’Donnell.

This sees Adam Sidlow and Tom Amone start at prop, Aaron Smith is at nine with Joe Wardle and Melbourne bound Sam Stone at second-row. Asiata is at 13.

TEAM NEWS | Here’s your Bulldogs team for one last time this season, in the @Betfred Championship Grand Final! #COYD #UTD 🐶 pic.twitter.com/qcbFU4tviW

— Batley Bulldogs RLFC (@BatleyRLFC) October 2, 2022

However, it is the Bulldogs who will be cheered on by a WWE superstar. The wrestler in question is former rugby league player Luke Menzies who now goes by the name of Ridge Holland in WWE.

A former Hull KR, Swinton, Dewsbury and of course Batley player figuring for 10 teams mostly as a prop in a 10-year career, Menzies has been taking to social media to cheer on his former club as they face a huge underdog task against the star-studded Centurions.

Good luck everybody #Doggies #fightnight

— Ridge Holland (@RidgeWWE) October 2, 2022

Doggies Doggies Doggies @BatleyRLFC @SuperLeague https://t.co/sBkQkPv3Ba

— Ridge Holland (@RidgeWWE) September 30, 2022

Menzies, or Holland as WWE fans will know him as, has had an impressive rise in the company since joining in 2018 and is now part of one of their main shows SmackDown and has recently contested for the Tag Team Titles.

He came up short but will hope Batley won’t today.