A new face joins the Cougars as they look to get their season back on track in the Arriva Trains Cup at Hunslet.

Forward Richard Merville is set to make an appearance from the bench at the South Leeds Stadium tomorrow as Keighley look to halt their three-game losing sequence.

The six-footer, who was with coach Gary Moorby three seasons ago at Halifax Blue Sox under-21s, has joined up with the Cougars on a trial basis.

After leaving Halifax he had a stint up at Gateshead before heading off to try his luck Down Under with the Grafton Ghosts in a New South Wales regional league.

He's now back and has impressed Moorby sufficiently at training to earn a jersey for tomorrow's trip to the new-look Hawks.

"Now is the time to give him a shot," said Moorby, who snatched him up immediately after hearing he had returned from the Antipodes.

"He is a big lad, can play front or back row, has good hands, quick feet and I think he can do a job for us. He will definitely figure at some stage in the game."

With Matty Steel out with concussion picked up in last week's disappointing home defeat against Batley and Phil Guck struggling with a hamstring pull, Chris Wainwright starts at centre.

Andy Robinson, Paul Ashton and Jason Ramshaw all return to the side while Ricky Helliwell (shoulder) and Gareth Hewitt (knee) miss out once more.

Danny Ekis joins Phil Stephenson in the front row from the start.

After two defeats in this competition, and with Moorby still confident of qualification for the latter stages, the Cougars need to revert back to their early-season form if they are to get anything from their trip to Leeds.

Hunslet have made a lot of changes since they spent last year as one of the NFP's whipping boys and Moorby is expecting a hard match.

"They have released a lot of players and have a brought a lot in," he said. "Hunslet have made a lot more changes than we have and have made a good, positive start to the season.

"They have now got a couple of big front rowers and, of course, Danny Fearon, who was with us last year.

"Things have gone well for them this year with their big win against Huddersfield in the cup and maybe one or two of their lads will have an eye on next week's game."

In eight days time Hunslet entertain the Bulls at Headingley in their dream fixture in the Challenge Cup fifth round.

Cougars: Rushforth, Smith, Foster, Wainwright, Robinson, Ashton, Firth, Stephenson, Hoyle, Ekis, Sinfield, Wilkes, Ramshaw. Replacements: (from) Patterson, Mitchell, Hannah, Kelly, Merville.