Keighley Cougars boss Steve Deakin has called for a wholesale switch to summer rugby league.

The Northern Ford Premiership pacesetters have already been forced to postpone three games this season due to the weather and Deakin believes it is "financial suicide" to carry on as a winter sport.

"It just doesn't make any sense," he says. "When we played a re-arranged match at Doncaster last week the crowd was around 1,200 down on what they would have attracted on a Sunday.

"Clubs just cannot afford to lose that sort of money on a regular basis. It's not as though it is freak weather for this time of year. We have to grasp the nettle and make the change for good.

"I would like to see the amateurs and all the juniors moving to summer too. It not only encourages the fans to come out but players at all levels to come out and train."

Meanwhile Deakin is stepping up his side's preparations for Sunday's Silk Cut Challenge Cup fourth round tie with Hull at Cougar Park.

"The fact that the Batley game was called off has actually aided our preparations and things have gone really well this week," said Deakin.

The Cougars are hopeful of a crowd in the region of 5,000 with a large following from Hull anticipated. Fans wishing to use the main stand are reminded they must buy a ticket in advance. The club is not planning to make any available on the day of the game.