Benson sounds warning over Hunslet test

TONY BENSON: Expecting a tough challenge at Hunslet.

HUNSLET Hawks may not have a point to their name so far in the Northern Rail Cup, but that doesn’t mean Roughyeds coach Tony Benson is about to take them lightly.

The teams meet on Sunday afternoon (2pm kick off) at the South Leeds Stadium with Oldham knowing they need a win in their final pool one game to guarantee qualification for the quarter-finals of the competition for the second season running.

With a side expected to once again include Papua New Guinea’s World Cup trio of prop forwards Charlie Wabo and Nicko Slain and winger Michael Mark, Benson is expecting a stiff test from a Hunslet club who appear to have recruited well for this season despite suffering three consecutive defeats.

“They have got together a very strong squad,” said the Roughyeds coach.

“Last week they didn’t put in a number of their best players, but I am sure they will be coming back into the side against us.

“It is definitely a tough challenge. Hunslet are one of those teams that can, on their day, jump up and get you as they have shown in the past.

“These are the sorts of teams you have to watch out for and until you play them you just don’t know what to expect. Different sides have strengths and weaknesses that will affect sides in different ways.

“Our focus has been on putting together what we need to do as a team, rather than on the opposition.

“I would like to see more depth and a more attacking defence, as well as putting ourselves in better positions with regard to options off the ball.”

Oldham currently sit in second place in the table, level on points with Keighley.

The bonus point picked up against Sheffield last week could, in theory, already be sufficient to send the side through even if the Hawks were to pick up a shock win, depending on results elsewhere — but such thoughts are far from Benson’s mind.

“We need three points, not just for qualification but also for ourselves,” he added, ahead of a Yorkshire double-header which concludes a week on Sunday with a home match against amateurs Sharlston Rovers in the Carnegie Challenge Cup third round.

“We have a tough two weeks and then it is the first league game against Blackpool, so we really need a winning platform to build us up and into that match.”

Hunslet’s PNG trio Wabo, Slain and Mark all missed last week’s 44-6 loss at Keighley Cougars which ended their remaining hopes of getting into the next stage.

The previous week, the Hawks wore PNG shirts in their honour during a 38-10 home loss to Halifax in the second game of the competition, before Hallas chose to change his team around for the game at Cougar Park. The opening game saw Hunslet fall to a 38-16 defeat away at Sheffield.

Michael Brown, who impressed for Oldham in a short loan spell at the club in 2008 before off-field matters saw him sent home early to Huddersfield Giants, has been heavily involved at centre for the Hawks while ex-Oldham Bears man Darren Robinson is a likely starter at stand-off or hooker.