Naylor ponders dual-reg options

SCOTT Naylor has used only one dual-reg player in the last five games - but that may change as League One’s big guns loom large.

After Sunday’s visit of Gloucester All Golds to Whitebank (3pm kick-off), Oldham travel to Barrow Raiders and Keighley Cougars and face up to Newcastle Thunder and North Wales Crusaders at home in a month that could define the Roughyeds’ season. Nobody will relish coming to Whitebank, where Naylor’s men are unbeaten in league rugby for a run of 18 games spanning two years.

Naylor is mindful that it would be foolhardy not to take advantage of the dual-reg agreement with partner club Huddersfield Giants when his 22-man squad is heading into such a tough and demanding few weeks.

The Oldham coach has had talks with his Giants counterpart and former Bradford Bulls team-mate Paul Anderson: “I’ve established that some Huddersfield players will be available, but nothing has been decided yet,” said Naylor. “With such a lot of tough games coming up, it would be silly not to consider that option.”

It isn’t yet known whether Naylor would wish to go down that route for the Gloucester game or look at his squad ahead of the trip to Barrow on Saturday week. He wasn’t entirely satisfied with his table-topping team’s 48-6 win against London Skolars, so might opt to freshen things with dual-reg reinforcements this week.

“We need to step up our overall performance levels, starting this week,” he added. “The score against Skolars didn’t really reflect the game. I’m looking for improvements in one or two areas.”