DONCASTER arrive at Odsal this weekend on the back of 15 straight Championship defeats – but Bulls boss Jimmy Lowes is refusing to write them off as no-hopers.

The rock-bottom Dons will play for the first time since replacing head coach Paul Cooke with former Wakefield and Batley winger Gary Thornton.

It will be Thornton's third stint as a head coach, having previously worked at Batley – where he was the longest-serving coach in the second tier of British rugby league when he decided to leave – and at York City Knights.

Lowes said: "I've known Gary for many years, having played against him, and he's a good bloke. He has done decent jobs wherever he has been and he's a good appointment for Doncaster.

"They have got their own challenges and battles so, irrelevant of Gary going in there this week, they have got a lot of enthusiasm and gave Dewsbury a good run last week (losing 14-6).

"We are expecting the same from them at Odsal and we've got to match their enthusiasm."

Lowes, meanwhile, has backed the introduction of the new marquee-player rule for Super League clubs.

"I generally feel that the salary cap should be increased anyway across the board," he said.

"You can understand why they are trying to get this marquee player in to give a little boost to the game.

"We need to start keeping our top players and not let them go to the NRL."