With the Guinness Premiership kick-off less than two months away, Mallinder wants to go into the season with every single player believing they can make the first team.

With the season being so long and physically and mentally draining, Mallinder knows he won't be able to field the same 15 to 20 players in every match, and he is happy his squad has the sufficient strength in depth to cope.

"It is going to be tough, because all the games are tough in the Premiership," said Mallinder.

"With so many games there is an opportunity to give players game time.

"You can't go into every single tournament and every single game with the same 15 – it's impossible.

"You need that strength in depth and that's what we are trying to build here, we are trying to build up a squad who are all capable of playing for the first team and during the week going head-to-head for that first team spot.

"Then it is a good chance to pick one of the two for every position at the weekend."