Friday is favourite for friendly

OLDHAM officials are busy trying to tie down a date for the pre-season friendly with Super League champions Leeds Rhinos.

The game comes as part of the deal which saw a Roughyeds side travel to Headingley earlier this year to provide the opposition in Kevin Sinfield’s testimonial.

At present, a Friday night game on February 1 next year is favourite. That is the start of the weekend set aside by the RFL for games between top-flight and National League clubs, with the first round of Northern Rail Cup matches beginning the following week.

A Sunday fixture at Boundary Park on February 3 appears to be ruled out, with Oldham Athletic playing a home match against Bristol Rovers on Tuesday, February 5.

As per the rental agreement between the two sporting clubs, the Roughyeds are precluded from playing in the two-day period prior to a Latics match, leaving a Friday night clash as the most likely alternative.

Other friendlies are also in the process of being arranged.

The Oldham squad trained as normal at the weekend and without any fresh injury concerns coming to light.

Long-term injured winger Ben Seru apart, the only fully-fit player yet to join in with the work being done by Tony Benson’s men is Ireland international prop forward Wayne Kerr, who is to be given a break up until the start of December due to his recent involvement in the World Cup in Australia.

o PHIL Woolas, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, has accepted an invitation to become the first president of the recently-formed Oldham Rugby League Club Players’ Association.

The Association, which currently has 94 paid-up members, will hold it’s first annual meeting at the Saddleworth Rangers club on Tuesday, December 2 (start 7pm).