O'Keefe ban reversal is a massive boost for Oldham

Roughyeds' Ben O’Keefe has never had trouble scoring tries - he’s got the pace and the built-in ability to read a game sufficiently to be in the right place at the right time.

Instinctive anticipation in sport is similar to that precious quality in driving which you may have heard described as “road sense”.

It’s all very well being a dab hand at horn blowing or being able to operate the clutch.

But do you have that sixth sense that tells you when another driver is going to get it wrong at a mini-roundabout.

It’s the same in sport.

Anticipation splits the ordinary player and the very good player.

O'Keefe is still a boy, aged 21, but he has what it takes to go far and that’s why it was such a huge plus for Sean Long’s men when the RFL disciplinarians listened intently to his appeal against a two-match ban for alleged punching up at Barrow and upheld it, issuing instead a not-guilty verdict.

Mike Ford accompanied the young centre to the hearing and was clearly delighted at the result while always believing that the Rochdale boy was innocent; that he did not throw a punch in retaliation; and that he left the field before he was shown the red card because he knew he needed to go straight to hospital, with blood streaming down his face, for attention to a badly-cut eye.

Choosing his words carefully, given that he was commenting on a disciplinary decision, Oldham chief Ford said: “We must also acknowledge that Ben had an impeccable record previously.

"He never wavered in protesting his innocence and there was no proof of anything.”

As a result of the appeal being upheld, this son of a former Rochdale Hornets player is now free to play in this Sunday’s quarter-final at York in the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup.

O’Keefe played at Mayfield as a boy before turning pro for Wigan where, like Logan Astley, he played in the Warriors reserve team that went unbeaten in 2022.

He made his Super League debut against Hull KR that year.

He then moved to Rochdale on loan and it became permanent in 2023, at the end of which he signed a two-year deal with Oldham.

O'Keefe has definitely got the X Factor and the potential to go far.

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