Roden’s young guns on parade

THE latest crop of youngsters at Oldham RL Club will go on show for the first time at Whitebank in a pre-season friendly against Keighley.

New coach Neil Roden will pitch his hopefuls against opposition from a higher division on February 12.

They will form the nucleus of the club's under-20s squad for the forthcoming season.

Those returning include forwards Aaron Hall, Rhys Wareing and Rob Ball.

One of the new boys is 17-year-old Tom Dempsey, a midfield playmaker who has been with Wigan Warriors and is well known to Roden's dad Jack, Warriors' chief scout.

Another member of the Roden rugby clan, 19-year-old prop Brad, will be hoping for better luck at Oldham, having damaged a shoulder in his only appearance at Whitebank last season.

Said coach Roden: "I've got between 18 and 22 players training regularly and I'm expecting two more prospects this week.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how we handle Keighley. A lot of the boys will be playing for Oldham for the first time at this level and it will be my first game as coach so it will mean a lot to us."

Roden is hoping for a good turn-out of fans at his first testimonial event – a quiz night at Whitebank on Saturday, February 1 (7.30pm for 8pm).



THE first team's pre-season warm-up programme of three games starts at Barrow on Sunday (2pm kick-off) and continues with two games at Whitebank against Swinton Lions on Sunday, February 9 (3pm) and against Leigh Centurions on Saturday, February 15 (2.30pm).



NIGEL Marland’s funeral will be at Oldham Crematorium on Friday at 2pm.

A lifelong Oldham RL fan, he was chairman of ORSA (the supporters’ association) and he held various posts at the club as a volunteer worker.

Said chairman Chris Hamilton: “Nigel’s wish was that anyone attending his funeral should wear anything in which they felt comfortable, which means Roughyeds replica jerseys will be fine.”