CHORLEY Lynx begin their preparations for the new rugby league season with a friendly game against local rivals Rochdale Hornets at Victory Park tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

Ex-Wigan and Great Britain star Martin Dermott has joined the club as assistant coach and his experience will be a great asset to the younger players at the club.

Coach Graham West has also been busy recruiting players for the new season and he has brought in nine new faces.

Alan Redicliffe and Ian Parry have been snapped up from Warrington Wolves, Liam Jones, Eddie Killgannon, Steve Argent and Lee Birdseye from Widnes Vikings, and Safraz Patel and Martin Roden from Leigh Centurions.

However, the best signing of all should be ex-Leigh legend prop forward Tim Street, who has been persuaded to come out of retirement and his experience of big time rugby should also help the younger players in the team.

West is also trying to sign ex-Leigh skipper Andy Fairclough and if successful he will also be in the squad for tomorrow's game.

A major blow for Lynx however, is the loss of skipper Ian Talbot to a serious knee injury and it is unlikely that he will figure at all this season.

From last season's squad Paul Taberner, Stuart Fisher and Stewart Dickinson have left the club, while Rob Verrelli has returned home to Canada.

Rochdale will provide a good test for the new-look Lynx after finishing third in the league last season.

They will bring a full strength squad which will include new signings Richard Pachniuk, Richard Agar, Damian Ball, Matt Long, Ian Sinfield and Paul Smith.

Lynx have made a lot of progress since the end of last season off the field and they now have new main sponsors in Red Square (Vodka), who are part of the Halewood Group based in Huyton.

CHORLEY LYNX (from): Bamber, Wilcock, Killgannon, Parry, Jones, Birdseye, Patel, Street, Ramsdale, Redicliffe, Harrison, Prescott, Bloor, Prest, Cahalin, Vincent, Roden, Argent.