Rugby league: Mayfield preview

Rochdale Mayfield club crest

With it being a Bank Holiday weekend there would normally be no fixture today for Mayfield but the earlier season glitch with Wigan St Patricks means that Saturday 26 August is the only opportunity these two teams get to play the game.

With St Pats already looking at relegation, this would look like an easy win for Mayfield but this season has shown there are many surprises lying wait for the teams that don't prepare well.

With this in mind Sam Butterworth and Steve Wood have put their squad through a rigorous programme in the lead up to this game. With only three games left to play Mayfield are guaranteed a place in the play offs. It looks likely that they will finish in either third or fourth place, with third place playing sixth and fourth place playing fifth so a home tie in the play offs looks likely.

A win on Saturday will push the side on in their belief that this is their year. There was a mid season hiccup and a list of injuries that would have finished most teams off. But in true rugby league spirit Mayfield have bounced back, drawing on the NWML side, the U18s as well as the U16s to get the season back on track.

There have been some revelations as the young lads have stepped up, Corey Newsham and Kristian McVeigh have stepped into the breach not putting a foot wrong along with youngsters Harry Sheridan, Ben Metcalfe, Charlie Mckler, Harry Ratcliffe and Jake Ramsden. Team selection today will be interesting to say the least as the coaches try to get the balance right for the run in, but as always Butterworth will play the seventeen lads that he sees as the right team for this game.

Saturday 26 August 2023

• NCL Premier Division: Mayfield v Wigan St Patricks, kick-off 2.30pm