Looking forward to a cracker tomorrow

WE HAD an excellent session at the weekend and it was clear that all the players are desperately keen to be selected for the Featherstone game.

I am not too sure that what has happened in previous years will come into it much. Featherstone’s team won’t be much like the one that took to the field against Oldham in the play-off final two years ago and I doubt that ours will resemble that class of 2007 too much either.

It is really just another game for us — albeit one that is sudden death and one that we only get one shot at.

Nobody has really spoken about the fact that it is on television as well, but I am sure it is at the back of the players’ minds and it all adds to the atmosphere.

Watching Featherstone against Leigh last week, it is clear that they have got a big, strong pack and it will be important that we slow them up.

At the same time, their pack is adept at slowing up the opposition so we will need to keep going forward and keep up the momentum. If we manage that then I can’t see there being much between the two sides.

I am sure it will be a cracker.

That game aside, I went to watch the reserves play at the weekend and I thought they were superb. They controlled the game, the go forward was good and they really managed to get a roll on Barrow.

In the half-backs Matty Ashe was sensational, as was Chris Hough, and their presence really helped the whole team.

There are no promises for anyone who comes here regarding first-team rugby, but these players aren’t a bad backup if we were to pick up another injury in the half-backs or at hooker, that is for sure.

I had Matty when he was with the Junior Kiwis back in 2002 when he was only 16 years old and he was clearly very talented then.

He can play — he showed that in the reserves against Barrow — and the hope is that he continues to show it.

Question for Tony? Email him at: tonybenson@oldham-chronicle.co.uk