Doncaster RLFC must avoid getting sucked into relegation battle - Horne

“I’ve never even been to the ground so Sunday’s Betfred Championship game there will be a first for me,” said Horne.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge and everything around it,” added Horne whose side have lost their last three games.

“They have climbed above us for the first time this season of late and it’s a game we’ve got to be looking to win if we hope to finish eighth which is looking the highest place we can finish now.”

The Dons are one of only two sides to have nilled the Bulldogs this season – they beat them 26-0 at the Eco-Power Stadium in May – but they are expecting a much tougher game at the Mount with its infamous slope.

“I’ve had a good look at the ground on video this week and I’ve spoken to people about it and the best way to play it,” said Horne. “At this moment I’m thinking that if we win the toss we’ll play up the slope in the first and try and keep it tight.

“We won’t lack motivation because we’ll go above them if we win and we still need to pick up one, or possibly two, wins from our remaining games to avoid getting sucked into the relegation battle though apart from Halifax, who beat us, all the teams below us all lost at the weekend.”

Batley reached the 2022 play-off final, losing to Leigh who are now going great guns in the Super League, and lost out to York on points difference when finishing seventh last year.

“They’ve had a quiet season by their recent standards – though they’ve picked up some impressive wins - and no-one was really talking about until they’ve recently started to climb the table,” said Horne.

“They’ve got a decent side with a big pack so we know we’re going to have to play well. Stand-off White is a threat as is second-rower Manning who runs the ball strongly on the edges.”

Horne, who rung the changes last weekend to counter what he felt were the threats posed by Halifax, could bring back one or two players to miss out and such as Jason Tali, Brett Ferres, Josh Guzdek and Ben Johnston, providing he shows no adverse reaction during training this week, could all come into contention.

“Whoever plays we’ve got to show the motivation and want to win it more than they do on the day,” he said.