COUGAR boss Gary Moorby has called on his troops to get back on the win-trail against Hunslet on Saunday - but admitted he could be to blame for last week's defeat.

"I suppose making six changes to the team could have been just too many, particularly with Simeon Hoyle also being injured in the game, but I have to give all our players game time.

"We want to do well in the Arriva Cup, but our main objective is the league which starts on Good Friday. Before then I need to give all the players a chance to show what they can do," he said.

The club is also hampered by not having an A-team where players who aren't on regular first team duty can keep up their levels of match fitness.

"Keeping everyone involved and interested is very difficult, but the lads who came into the team can't be held responsible for the defeat. Obviously we were very disappointed to suffer our first defeat at home, but we are not going to panic.

"We had some really good periods of play, but once again just could not make the vital breakthrough in their 25m area. I thought the final 30-12 scoreline flattered them and thought 20-12 would have been more realistic," he said.

Jason Ramshaw returned from holiday this week and will be straight back in the side for Sunday's trip to Leeds and Ricky Helliwell has also recovered from the bruised shoulder joint which kept him out of action last weekend.

However, Gareth Hewitt's knee injury has not responded as quickly to treatment as expected and he is due to see a specialist at the Yorkshire Clinic.

Aussie Mick Durham has also returned to training after flying in from Australia. He played a number of games while at home before the end of the Australian season and has been keeping up his fitness levels while soaking up the sun.

Hunslet have looked like a team transformed in recent weeks, clocking up a victory over Dewsbury follwing their shock Powergen Challenge Cup win over Super League side Huddersfield.

"They are on a bit of a roll at the moment, but they certainly don't hold any fears for us. I have heard that Huddersfield were pretty poor, but we certainly have to take Hunslet very seriously indeed.

"If we produce one of our top class performances we can certainly come back with a win," Moorby said.

Former Cougar captain Danny Fearson will be determined to have a big game for the Hawkes after being released by Keighley at the end of last season.

He showed climpses of brilliance during his period with the club, but at other times appeared totally disinterested and at times came in for heavy criticism from from the terraces.

n The club is to hold a Fans' Forum evening on Friday, February 28, with directors Neil Spencer and Colin Farrar available to answer questions from fans alongside coah Gary Moorby.

"We also want to take a long term look at the future of the club. We have seven years to run on the Cougar Park agreement, but we don't want to wait until the last minute to start deciding how we will move forward.

"We need to devolop out ideas now and I want to hear any ideas which the fans have for the future of the club," Mr Spencer said.

n Batley Full Back Craig Lingard was named Player of the Round after this hat-trick performance against Cougars in the Arriva Trains Cup last weekend.

Pictured: Lee Patterson