Hope so , cowling & walshaw were impressive against London last week end.

The preparation is all going well for the Barrow game what with a Cowling doubt, a Hodson rejection (why play a world-beater anyway!?) and a Deano departure. Plus no Lawton of course.
Anymore stones to overturn before Sunday?

Perhaps it's all a ruse to sucker Barrow into thinking we are in disarray.

I'm sure the 17 on duty will do the job in hand & get us to the playoff final.
Olddon has got things wrong before lets hope he has about Dean.
COYD

I'm sure they WILL do their best. That is NEVER in doubt.
Perhaps they are getting that good they need one hand tied behind their backs.

Good to hear Walshaw and cowling doing the business for you. Two players I am exited about seeing develop.

Just a question here- are you playing Walshaw in his centre position or in his converted second row position? Agar sees him as a SR.

Playing as a 2nd row but we may have to play him as a prop this week end

Deano's twitter feed does confirm he has left

Would be gutted if Cowling doesn't feature as has been excellent when played.

I suppose worse case (and it aint that bad) is that Buts goes back to FB, Lee in Centre with Spur, China and Stu - would take that?!

I just wish for whatever reason Deano would have retired at end of season - I hope neither he or club have cut off nose to spite face.

dean confirmed it on twitter

Match Preview

Table-topping Doncaster Rugby League Club start their Co-operative Championship One play-off campaign this Sunday afternoon with a home tie against league runners up Barrow Raiders (3pm kick-off).

The blue and gold's have home advantage in the play-offs after finishing top of the league after 18 games. The Dons had the most wins, scored the most points and also had the best point's difference on the way to their first league title in 61 years.

The Dons are at near full strength with the exception of Mick Butterfield and Craig Lawton. Full back Butterfield continues to recover from a broken hand whilst second rower Lawton is suspended after pleading guilty to a dangerous tackle during the club's 48-8 win against London Skolars a fortnight ago.

Dons head coach Tony Miller said: "The squad is fresh after their week off and we're really up for the game on Sunday.

"Barrow will prove to be strong opposition as always, and they'll come to Doncaster looking to give us a tough game as there's a lot at stake.

"However, the lads really want this title and I'm confident we can get the victory that'll take us through to the grand final at Warrington at the end of the month.

"I hope the Doncaster public come out in force and give the team the support they deserve. It should be a cracking game."

The Dons last faced the Raiders in mid-July, winning 28-24 in a tight match at the Keepmoat Stadium. However, Barrow won the reverse fixture 25-8 back in March, and Raiders coach Darren Holt believes home advantage plays a huge role in clashes between the division's top sides.

Holt said: "Doncaster have home advantage, so they are the favourites. Home advantage is key in the play-offs."

Holt is hopeful that both Brad Marwood and Liam Finch will be fit enough to take part on Sunday.

The winners of Sunday's game will progress to the Grand Final which takes place on Sunday 30th September at Warrington's Halliwell Jones Stadium. Should the Dons lose the game, their play off campaign will not be over and will play the winner of the Workington - Whitehaven game at the Keepmoat Stadium the following week.

Tickets for Sunday's Barrow game cost just £12 for adults, £10 for concessions and £2 for juniors and must be purchased at the stadium's ticket office before entering the turnstiles.

Whatever you do make sure you don't miss this one. ‘Come on you Dons!'

Cunningham and/or Powley to come into 17 depending on Cowlings availability.

Cowling not in the 17 for Wakefield.

At last a bit of good news.
Assuming of course that he turns out for us.

hope so

Handicap betting ...

Generally Barrow are given 6 points start (however Ladbrokes & Skybet give them

. 10/11 each team, handicap draw 16/1.

Match betting ...

Generally the Dons are 4/9 favourites. Again Ladbrokes (2/5) and Skybet (4/11) differ.

A little stats update.. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2RpDkX ... VUTVk/edit

A little stats update.. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2RpDkX ... VUTVk/edit

Quote ="Donny"A little stats update.. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2RpDkX ... VUTVk/edit'" these stats should be in the programe and kept up to date thanks donny

Quote ="Donny"A little stats update.. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2RpDkX ... VUTVk/edit'" these stats should be in the programe and kept up to date thanks donny

A complete shambles without Cooke.
Clueless.
They couldn't even notice that they had crippled right winger against them with ten minutes to go.
Instead they attacked down the other side.
I suppose it's all a cunning plan to get Barrow in the final and have an extra week's revenue.
Very disappointing, and the ref was a TIT!
Plus we only lost because we can't kick goals without Cooke and Hodson.
Hodson would have won us the game.
Are you listening Miller?

agree about the ref. Thought we tried hard but as you say lacked direction. Cas tackled like a trojan. Crowd was disappointing.

The ref was clueless!! Cookes injury was tactical and imo a sending off offence! Kesiks was in no way sin bin worthy!! One touch judge looked like he was struggling to even keep up with the match. Hoping waterman learns to get a grip of his attitude before next week it let him down today!!

I think you are being a bit harsh on them, SO. Had Kyle not been sin-binned, when they scored 12 points to our six, it would have been our game. They were clinging on at the end. I don't think you are giving Barrow enough credit ;they looked a bit better than we did going forward in my opinion.

I'd rather we beat them in the Final anyway

definately deliberate.

I'm being harsh because it's warranted.
For me Barrow were the better side MARGINALLY.
I was saying that throughout the game.
They were more professional and took the ball in better.

However despite all that Barrow were FLAIRLESS BIGTIME!!!!!!!
And we should still have beaten them.
Look at the goals missed, look at the attacks that were just a rudderless mess near Barrow's line. So many of them in the second half.
Barrow were knackered, out on their feet, yet we couldn't finish them. That's not just credit to Barrow it's woeful by Donny.

As for beating Barrow in the final we aren't there yet, they are.
AND we have made three bloody woeful efforts against them so far. Yes I know we won one by 4 points.
They are the better side on encounters.

Let's hope we can beat worky next week but they saw Whitehaven off 26. 2 so will not be a push over.

I think in a 50/50 game either side could have come away with the win and felt themselves lucky, so well done do Barrow.

Though the way Cooke was targetted at the kick off was worthy of a red card, first tackle or not.

The Dons seemed to be lacking ideas in attack, when you consider the amount of time we spent in their twenty we did very little of effect. The only positive was our defence which held up most of the game. Cooke will get injured, or miss games and we have to be able to manage without him at times, today we looked like a rudder less ship.

As for the referee and touch judges, they were an absolute joke. It isn't poor performances by teams which is driving the paying spectators away from lower league games, it is the poor standard of refereeing which today dived to an all time low.

We will need a much better TEAM performance to progress to the final.