HULL Kingston Rovers are set to bring their full first-team squad - and a bumper contingent of fans - to Huntington Stadium on Sunday as the Robins pay their own tribute to York City Knights star Rich Hayes.

The 33-year-old York rugby league legend spent two productive seasons at Craven Park, winning player-of-the-year awards and being named prop of the year for the entire league during his spell with Rovers.

And the National League One big-guns, who are among the favourites to win a Super League promotion place this season, are to pay their own homage to the bulldozing prop who became a firm favourite with the Craven Park faithful.

Rovers' new team manager, former Great Britain coach Malcolm Reilly, who has formed a new-look partnership with head coach Martin Hall at the Craven Park helm, said Hayes was deserving of this match.

"I'm pretty sure that's the case," he told the Evening Press. "He's put in a lot of work over the years and deserves it."

Club officials reckon they will take more fans than normal to a pre-season game as it will be the supporters' first sight of the acclaimed new management duo and of the new signings.

Reilly himself admitted there had been a lot of interest from the Robins faithful about the forthcoming season.

"I don't know how many fans there will be (on Sunday) but there is a lot of excitement over the new season and with it being new year it is still a holiday period so hopefully there will be a big gate," he said.

The former GB boss is expected to hand debuts to four players, with former Hunslet schemer Phil Hasty, ex-Dewsbury prop Frank Watene, Rochdale recruit Matt Calland and Dale Holdstock all set to figure. Two other closed season signings, Marvin Golden and Casey Mayberry, are likely to miss out as they have not yet recovered from long-standing injuries.

"We want to play as many players as is feasible to have a look at them," Reilly explained. "It's the first game Martin and I will have been involved with at Hull KR and we want to experiment with personnel and positions.

"I'm hoping we will agree to have unlimited subs - not to make a mockery of it, but simply to have a look at players."

Updated: 10:31 Wednesday, December 31, 2003