Roberts keen to prove his point

Robert Roberts: In the thick of the action.

ROBERT Roberts takes to the the field against his old club this weekend in the belief that he has grown into his role as team captain.

The 29-year-old Roughyeds forward — confirmed as skipper for the 2009 season last week — is facing up to the club he was sacked from for unspecified disciplinary reasons prior to joining Oldham just over a year-and-a-half ago.

Since then, Roberts’ troubles of the past have been firmly put behind him and he hopes to prove something of a point in Sunday’s final pre-season friendly in the swish new environs of the Leigh Sports Village Stadium.

“The captaincy is something that I wanted to take on again and to be honest I think it has helped my game over the past 18 months,” said Roberts.

“I left Leigh under a dark cloud. They weren’t the best circumstances, but I definitely want to go back there and show them what they are missing out on.

“The fans there are very fanatical. They support you well if you are on their side and give it to you if you are playing against them, but I had a very good relationship with them and hopefully they will give me a good response.”

Roberts, who is now fully over a back problem which required an epidural injection late last year, didn’t play in last week’s 28-12 win over a youthful Huddersfield side but watched on with interest from the Boundary Park touchline at how the new men within the squad fared.

“It was really encouraging,” he added. “We had punch up front in the shape of Jamie L’Anson, who showed controlled aggression, Jason Boults did his ‘Mr Reliable’ show and Luke Menzies impressed as well.

“Reills (Paul Reilly) is easing his way back into things and then there was Thomas Coyle who looked a cut above whoever his half-back partner was.

“You could also tell Dave Allen has played at Super League level by looking at some of the great lines that he runs.

“We want to build on that performance.

“We know it will be tough but as long as we get the basics right, like the ball control which is so important, then we will be happy.”

Leigh, of the Co-operative Championship, won’t turn out their two most recent signings.

Ex-Oldham man Lee Marsh has rejoined the club he played for last season following the troubles at Rochdale which have seen the club enter administration.

Meanwhile, Kiwi back row man Macgruff Leuluai — the 18-year-old brother of Wigan and New Zealand scrum-half Thomas — has also committed himself to coach Neil Kelly.
But they sit this one out.

Trialists Jamie Durbin, the former Warrington, Widnes, Doncaster and Rochdale half-back, and Lee Wingfield, who spent three injury-ravaged seasons with the Roughyeds, won’t play either.

While all four of the men mentioned above took part in a young Leigh side’s 16-8 loss at Blackpool Panthers seven days ago, a determined Kelly has promised to name his strongest side possible to face Oldham.

“This time we want a win as well as put on a good performance,” Kelly said.

“It will be tough, but there were only two of my players from Friday night’s game at Blackpool that will feature in the squad to take on Oldham. Sam Reay and Tony Stewart are the only two, and I do expect a much better showing from all my players.”

“My full squad will be in operation bar those players who had close season operations.

“We are on the run up to the start of the new season, and we must be focused on where we want to be.”