vikings face a big challenge at Halifax (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

vikings face a big challenge at Halifax

9:46am Thursday 29th July 2010 in

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VIKINGS look set to ring the changes going into tonight's important game at second-placed Halifax.

With a full complement of players to pick from Vikings assistant coach Stuart Wilkinson is looking for a positive response after their back-to-back losses.

Last Sunday’s heavy home defeat by Leigh saw Vikings slip back out of the top six giving them a big challenge to rise to if they are to make the play-offs.

Wilkinson said: “One of the great things about rugby league is that it brings great challenges and we have got a big one lying in front of us this week.

“We are looking for a positive reaction. We are going to have to look at how we pick the team.

“The nature of professional sport is that if people don’t deliver then we need to be able to make changes and we are in a position to do that now.”

Vikings have a game in hand – but apart from bottom placed Keighley, the other four games are against teams above them in the table – Halifax, Toulouse, Sheffield and Barrow.

But Wilkinson believes the tough schedule can work in Vikings’ favour as they bid to secure a top six finish.

“We are not too stressed about it because we knew we were not going to improve immediately when we got all those players back and have some games left in which to do it.

“Fortunately we are playing the teams above us.

“If we have the mindset of seeing who really is weak, we can test how strong the teams above us are too and drag them into a fight that they don’t want to be in.

“We need to be able to do that by winning – and denying them bonus points,” Wilkinson added.

Thursday’s game at Halifax’s Shay kicks off at 7.30pm.

Meanwhile Vikings’ home game against Sheffield has been brought forward to Thursday, August 12 to accommodate Sky television cameras.