But the former Leigh captain and England international has already issued a warning to his players that performance is what will keep places, and he intends to make the competition for the starting jerseys more intense.

"We want players at the club who want to play for us, and who want to improve," said Rowley. "We also want players that will take us to the next level, and if they come available then we obviously will be very interested, we have to look to next year and beyond.

"But for the time being the players who have been wearing the jumpers have been doing the job - and doing it well.

"We are all pretty tight with each other and the spirit in the camp is tremendous. But everyone knows there are other players in the squad quad awaiting their chance and that keeps the pressure on."

Rowley played Stuart Donlan at stand off in last week's encouraging success, and he puts that down to the fact that other players are playing well.

"I think Stuart's best position is either full back or wing," explains Rowley. "But Ian Mort is playing superbly at full back and Dave Alstead and Nick Stanton are terrific on the wings. But having said that Stuart is too good to leave out of the team and has to be in the side.

"Defensively we have been suspect on the edges and Stuart uses his experience to help us tighten all that up. We have been working on that area and we look a lot better defensively.

"It is this type of competition or places that I intend to encourage, and it is the competition that will make us a better side."