LEIGH Centurions must be on their guard against a Bobbie dazzler this weekend.

Bobbie Goulding, who played in Leigh's losing Grand Final side of 2002, returns to Hilton Park as player/coach of second bottom Rochdale keen to put a banana skin under the Centurions' march towards the Minor Premiership.

"We've got to be careful, very careful this weekend," admits Leigh boss Darren Abram.

"Hornets have improved beyond recognition since we thrashed them at their place in May. That's coincided with Bobbie getting the boots on again and in the past few weeks they've beaten Hull KR, lost narrowly at Whitehaven and drawn with Featherstone after having six tries disallowed.

"These are potentially the sort of game you can end up with egg on your face if you're not careful. Our preparation, focus and application must be spot on - anything less and we'll be in trouble," he warns.

"Bobbie's always the type of player who can turn it on and I'm sure there's nothing more he would like than turning it on back here at Hilton Park."

Leigh are again likely to find themselves a little short-handed in the forwards with front rowers Simon Knox and Matt Strum already ruled out.

Knox, who was taken ill last weekend, has now been diagnosed has suffering from pleurisy and is likely to be missing for a couple of weeks. Strum damaged his back in the warm-up prior to last Sunday's game against Oldham and is also an absentee this weekend.

Abram is still waiting for checks on skipper Ian Knott who only lasted nine minutes against Oldham before retiring with sore ribs after a collision.

The only good news is that Oli Wilkes, man of the match in the Arriva Trains Final, should return. He sat it out last week after going down with stomach trouble as well as suffering from a slight groin strain.

Abram has drafted in three U21s players to bolster his squad. Prop Mike Callan is back after groin surgery and there are other squad places for Mick Govin and Anthony Blackwood.

Leigh pair David Alstead and Mark McCully, on loan at Rochdale, will not be allowed to play this weekend under the terms of their loan agreement.