Wharfedale’s new coach Tom McGee wants a 100 per-cent record in his side’s friendlies to set the tone for the new season.

They start pre-season tomorrow with a home game against Stirling County and McGee said: “Having just been promoted, they will still be buzzing from last season but I want us to win all three of our pre-season matches to build some momentum.”

He is hoping for a more conventional format to their first friendly than neighbours Otley and Bradford & Bingley had.

The Cross Greeners and the Bees played for the Granville Clark Memorial Trophy last Saturday, with Otley winning 45-19 in a match split into two 20-minute quarters and two 15-minute quarters.

But McGee wants two 40-minute halves and said: “I haven’t discussed it with our coaches or with anyone at Stirling County but I would hope that, particularly with the visitors starting their league programme a week tomorrow, that they would want to play 80 minutes split into two halves.”

McGee has reiterated his desire to use 25 players this weekend, saying: “We can only use 20 on league match-days but I want to have a look at various options so I get to know my first-choice 20 when it comes to the league programme.”

He added: “The lads are ready for a game.

“I would hope that Stirling want to play an expansive game. One of the reasons is because I want each of the pre-season matches to present a different challenge.”

McGee added: “We have about five or six players who are receiving treatment for niggles but they are nothing serious. However, Dan Hart and Sam Cottrell could well be out for a fortnight each.”

Otley are hoping to have their talismanic skipper Howard Parr available for their second pre-season friendly tomorrow at home to Doncaster Knights (3pm).

Parr said: “I injured my calf last week while doing some sprint training.”

Otley’s director of rugby Gary Walker added: “We are waiting on injury news but centre Oli Richards, winger James Twomey and full back Chris Georgiou, who didn’t play on Saturday, are going to the Middlesex Sevens as part of Leeds Carnegie’s squad this weekend.”