Heavy Woollen rivals expecting competitive Championship campaign

RIVAL coaches Lee Greenwood and Craig Lingard are in agreement that the 2021 Championship season could be one of the most competitive in recent times.
The Fox's Biscuits Stadium. Picture: SWpix.com.The Fox's Biscuits Stadium. Picture: SWpix.com.
The Fox's Biscuits Stadium. Picture: SWpix.com.

The top six teams come the end of the regular season will qualify for the play-offs, with the winner earning passage to Super League.

Dewsbury chief Greenwood feels that the gap between the bottom and top teams is closing, with just a select few big-spending sides leading the way.

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“When you looked at the league in previous years you could almost split the league in two,” he said.

The Tetley's Stadim. Picture: SWpix.com.The Tetley's Stadim. Picture: SWpix.com.
The Tetley's Stadim. Picture: SWpix.com.

“There were the ones chasing promotion and then everyone else.

“Or could you even split it into three, with the big-spenders chasing promotion, the middle bunch and then the guys at the bottom fighting it out.

“But I don’t see it like that. Maybe there are three teams that have spent big and are chasing that promotion dream this year.

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“When you look at fourth right down to 14th, those 11 teams could beat each other game to game.

“You could have exactly the same set of fixtures we had on the opening weekend and see different results in all of them.

“I really do think it is that tight.

“Once we get six to seven games, confidence and fitness will play a part but at the moment you can toss a coin on a lot of the games.”

Batley Bulldogs coach Lingard believes the competitiveness is highlighted by the results in the opening weeks of the season.

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The Bulldogs knocked Halifax Panthers out of the Challenge Cup with an impressive 19-6 win last month.

However, the Panthers bounced back in style to post an emphatic win over London Broncos in their opening league game of the season.

He added: “It is a competitive division.

“We know that if you don’t turn up on any given day, then anyone in the league can turn you over.

“That is what Halifax did against London.

“It is a massive victory against a London team who are expected to be at the top end of the table.”