Going it alone

Reporter: Oldham Chronicle
Date published: 08 March 2013


RUGBY LEAGUE
THE line-up Scott Naylor believes will best serve Oldham against derby rivals Rochdale Hornets will comprise of 17 players who are committed to the Roughyeds for the full season.

If there are any dual registered men in Sunday’s Northern Rail Cup clash at Whitebank (3pm) they will be wearing the red, white and blue of the visitors.

They won’t be playing for Oldham, Naylor having decided that a clannish feud over the back fence between warring neighbours is fuelled by local pride and is no place for reinforcements from out of town.

“A local derby is something very different; something very special,” said the Roughyeds coach, who played for Bradford Bulls in many a full-house battle with local rivals Leeds Rhinos.

SECONDMENT
Last week, at North Wales Crusaders, he used four players on secondment from partner club Salford City Reds in a 48-12 defeat.

More City Reds men were made available to him this week, but Naylor opted instead for those who took the Law Cup with them to Spotland last month and brought it home again, red and white ribbons attached, after a hard-fought 22-20 triumph.

He said: “I won’t be using dual-reg players in this game. I know what a good result will mean to the Oldham players, club and fans so I’m going for our own boys to deliver it.

“Salford have injury problems, including knocks to two of the four players who helped us out last week.

“They still offered us players, but I think it suited both clubs for us to go it alone this weekend.”

Naylor won’t name his team until training tomorrow, but he has confirmed that he will choose his starting line-up and subs from 18.

These are —

BACKS: Neil Roden, Jamie Dallimore, Dale Bloomfield, Steven Nield, Mo Agoro, Lewis Palfrey, Richard Lepori, Danny Samuel.

FORWARDS: Josh Crowley, Danny Langtree, Liam Gilchrist, Mark Hobson, Chris Tyrer, Jason Boults, Michael Ward, Callum Marriott, Adam Files, Sam Gee.
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