Craig Lingard: “We need to back that first win up against Swinton”

Lingard’s men got their 2023 Championship campaign off to a perfect start thanks to a 30-20 triumph at London Broncos - a first success in the capital for 35 years.

But the club’s all-time leading try scorer has insisted his side need to back that win up against the Lions.

He said: “We need to hit the ground running from week one and try to build some momentum from there and keep that momentum, which is what we have done the last couple of years.

“We need to back that first win up against Swinton. If we don’t then it is pointless doing what we did in London. Hopefully we can get a little bit of momentum, get some more points on the board early and then who knows what can happen.

“Hopefully we can ride that crest of wave like we have the last couple of years.”

And, due to the wide-open nature of the league this season, Lingard believes the Bulldogs need to get “as many wins” as they can under their belts as soon as possible.

“The Championship is not seen as a lesser competition now and the quality has risen year on year. I think this year is the best it has ever been.

"You see the names of people who are dropping down from Super League, players who are coming to the last couple of years of their careers or players who are making a lifestyle choice and deciding that full-time rugby is not necessarily for them.

“You look at the so-called experts and pundits’ finishing positions for all teams this season and everyone’s is different. You can’t really pinpoint who is going to be where.

“Other than Featherstone and Toulouse being towards the top of the table, for everyone else it could be any permutation. That is why it is really important, particularly for us, to get as many wins on the board as early as possible.”

Throughout 2023, the club is hoping fans take advantage of reduced ticket prices for each home fixture this season. And Lingard believes there isn’t too much more he - or his side - can do to entice the people of Batley, and beyond, to the Fox’s Biscuits Stadium.

He revealed: “It is a bit of a gamble and it is probably the last thing they could potentially do to try and get people through the gate. Historically, people would say, ‘well if you had a winning team on the field then we would come down and watch.’

“We’ve had a semi-final and a Grand Final appearance in the last couple of years - we can’t really do much more as probably the lowest-spending team in the division.

“Getting to the latter stages of the competition is, pretty much, as much as we can do performance-wise on the field. We’re doing the job on the field.

“There is financial incentive now for a family day out - £10 for adults and kids for free - as well as to see a successful team who is performing well and representing the club admirably.

“I think we represent the club as a playing group really well in the ethics we have got - hard work, honesty and being humble about what and who we are.

“We know that nothing is going to come easy for us. Over the last couple of years you have seen the hard work that the players have put in and it has been rewarded.

“If the people of Batley and the surrounding areas want a rugby team in Batley to play a part in the future of rugby league, then this is the season where they need to show it and get down in numbers.”

On the injury front ahead of the Swinton game, Lingard said:

“Dale Morton and Aidan McGowan will be out because they failed their HIA. We’re trying to find out if they will be out for the Sheffield game as well. The protocol is a 12-day turnaround but the Sheffield game is day 12, so we’re not sure if they can play on day 12 or if it needs to be day 13.

“There were several players who picked up knocks. Josh Hodson picked up a knock to his knee and Jimmy Meadows and Johnny Campbell picked up knocks as well.”