PRELIMINARY FINAL PREVIEW | Newcastle Thunder v Dons

The Dons have a Preliminary Final against Newcastle Thunder at the Crow Trees Ground, home of Blaydon RUFC, on Saturday 26 September (5pm KO).

Last time out, Richard Horne’s side secured an emphatic 56-12 win over Barrow Raiders in the Sudden Death Play-Offs to set up the mouthwatering clash.

The opposition sealed their place in this game directly after beating Widnes Vikings 34-16 in the Qualifying Finals, and both sides will now aim to reach the Grand Final to face either London Broncos or Oldham.

When the two teams last met in January, Dons beat Newcastle 24-22 at Club Doncaster Sports Village in the Betfred Challenge Cup. 

Speaking about the Barrow victory, Horne said: “I was really happy. I thought they looked a bit busted, and I am glad we put in a good performance.

“There were a few errors in there that we will work on, but in the end it was a comfortable win.”

On the upcoming test against Newcastle, he added: “When we played them in the cup at the beginning of the year, it was a really tight game. They went in front, but we managed to fight back and find a way to win.

“It is going to be a similar game to that this time around. Newcastle are a quality outfit, and we know they are fit and will stay in the game for 80 minutes, so it is going to come down to who puts in a better overall performance.”

Tom Whitehead was one of the tryscorers in the Barrow triumph, and he is looking forward to the next stage of the play-off campaign.

“I am expecting a tough game. I don’t know too much about them, having not played them this year, but they finished second, and that takes some doing.

“It is important to not rush anything and take opportunities to score points when we can. Every game is different, but we need to make sure our performances are consistent.”

Whitehead signed on loan from Super League outfit Hull Kingston Rovers in June, and has since become a key part of the Dons squad this campaign.

The spell in DN4 has been beneficial to the 23-year-old, who now hopes to play in a Grand Final for the first time.

“I have loved being here. The boys have all made me feel welcome, so it has been pretty easy for me to settle in.

“If we get through to the final, it will be the biggest game of my career. All these games leading up to it have been big for me, so it would be good to get that experience and hopefully win it.”