Excitement builds ahead of Saints visit

Carl Forster, who featured heavily for Hornets on dual registraion in 2013, could line up against Hornets for St Helens on Sunday

Rochdale Hornets go head to head with partner club St Helens on Sunday (2 February), as the Super League outfit come to Spotland for a pre-season friendly (3pm kick off).

It is a fixture that pits Hornets head coach against his full time employers, and Talbot admits it has been a strange week building up to the game: "It certainly has a strange feeling for myself, coming up up against my 'day job' colleagues.

"This week has certainly had an interesting twist, with the anti-Hornets office banter, and both teams sharing the same training pitch and facilities, but you can sure that both sets of lads will be looking to impress today to enhance their chances of earning a shirt when the respective seasons kick off.

"With the partnership agreement in place, I'm sure that we will see some of these Saints lads in a Hornets shirt at some point this season."

With the Championship season on the horizon, Talbot will be looking for players to lay down a marker ahead of the first fixture, away at current champions Sheffield Eagles.

Hornets will again run with a large squad, fielding all players that are fit and available, before Talbot picks a tighter squad to take on Hunslet in the final pre-season game.

Front rowers Liam Gilchrist and Chris Tyrer, along with hooker Alex McClurg, are definitely ruled out with injury, while Warren Thompson is struggling with a tight back, but is expected to play.

Hornets will take to the field in this year's 2014 away shirts, with replicas available to purchase in the shop from 1pm.

The new home kit will be modelled by the squad on Tuesday 4 February, when the squad will have their official team photo done as well as hosting a question and answer session with fans and members.

The evening starts at 6.30pm, with Ian Talbot laying out his plans for the season before introducing the players. Members will then be able to get themselves on the official squad photo at approximately 7.30pm.

The meeting will take place in the Key Tech lounge, with the Hornets Fighting Fit Club taking place in the main lounge.

With Fijian International Ryan Millard, and another new recruit due with the club in the next few weeks, expectations have risen for the newly promoted club.

Entry for the game against St Helens is £10 adults, £8 concessions and just £1 for under 16s.