Championship favourites name squad including eight new signings ahead of star player’s testimonial

Featherstone Rovers are set to play Hull KR on Friday evening in what will be Craig Hall’s testimonial game and the favourites to secure promotion to Super League have named a very strong squad.

Hall was a long-serving player for the Robins but left early in the Tony Smith era and linked up with the other Rovers side, Featherstone, for whom he will play in Friday’s 7.45pm game at Featherstone’s Millennium Stadium.

An integral part of the squad that will challenge for promotion this season he has been named in the matchday squad for his testimonial, to nobody’s surprise.

All about this guy on Friday 🙌

🎟 https://t.co/9aF0RbXbAn #FEVvHKR | #BlueWall pic.twitter.com/tiTYFQjTOI

— Featherstone Rovers (@FevRoversRLFC) January 18, 2023

Alongside Hall are new signings such as Caleb Aekins, Chris Hankinson, Mathieu Cozza, Brad Day, Kyle Evans, Thomas Lacans, Elijah Taylor and McKenzie Yei.

As you can ssee Featherstone have made a whole host of signings for the 2023 campaign but their head coaching role sees another Super League legend in the shape of Sean Long fill the shoes of their former boss Brian McDermott.

Our Team List has been released ahead of Craig Hall's Testimonial game this Friday! 👊

📝 https://t.co/jueXOjxCTT
🎟 https://t.co/9aF0RbXbAn#FEVvHKR | #BlueWall pic.twitter.com/J6oavzLkzG

— Featherstone Rovers (@FevRoversRLFC) January 18, 2023

The likes of Elijah Taylor, Chris Hankinson, Mathieu Cozza as well as youngster Riley Dean have all arrived from Super League sides whilst internationals such as McKenzie Yei have been added as well.

In what the club are expecting to be one of their largest crowds for some time there’s plenty of quality on the pitch for Hall’s big game.

With the largest crowd in recent years anticipated we urge supporters to arrive at The Millennium Stadium as early as possible before the car park reaches capacity! 🚙

🎟 TICKETS: https://t.co/9aF0RbXJpV #FEVvHKR | #BlueWall pic.twitter.com/Nn5GF368Qj

— Featherstone Rovers (@FevRoversRLFC) January 17, 2023

Hull KR have named their squad and it’s very young however it does feature the club’s star signing, Tom Opacic, who will operate at centre on debut with fellow signings Sam Luckley and Louis Senior also debuting.

Ireland international Ethan Ryan will feature in the back row with Opacic and play will be orchestrated by Jordan Abdull but generally the squad is full of youth.

The club announced the squad news via their Twitter profile.

Here's your first squad news of 2023! 👊💪#UpTheRobins🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/L0XwyRMd5i

— Hull KR (@hullkrofficial) January 18, 2023