Former star Tonks in silverware grab

TONY Tonks has set his sights well beyond the clash with his ex-employers tomorrow night.

The powerful Featherstone prop forward used to bust tackles in an Oldham shirt but switched allegiances two seasons ago to be closer to his Pontefract home.

The 24-year-old may currently be sweating on his place in the Rovers side — he didn't appear in last week’s league fixture against Leigh — but his ultimate goals for the year extend right through to bringing back at least one trophy to the ambitious Co-operative Championship outfit.

As well as being in the last eight of the Northern Rail Cup, Featherstone are currently fourth in the table and have two matches in hand over third-placed Widnes.

“I am looking forward to the game and just hope that I am involved,” said Tonks, who started his career in the academy at Bradford Bulls, moving on to Doncaster before finding his way to Oldham in April of 2007.

“We have been going well so far this season and it is fair to say that things have been a bit different here under (Featherstone coach) Daryl Powell. I feel that we are a lot stronger as a team and it is showing on the pitch.

“Iestyn (Harris) has brought a lot to the table as well and he is a massive presence for us.

“Looking at the competition as a whole, we would like to think we have put ourselves in a good position to win it.

“As a club we want silverware and as a player I am keen to get my hands on some as well, having missed out when the club won promotion as I wasn’t here then.

“We want to start with the Northern Rail Cup and then have a really good go at the Championship.”

Tonks refers to Featherstone’s clash against Oldham at Headingley in October 2007, a game Rovers won 24-6 after recovering from going behind to an Adam Hughes try.

He started in the number eight shirt for Oldham that day but was forced off the pitch at half-time after sustaining a painful ribs injury.

Six other Roughyeds men began that final have since remained with the club, and Tonks still keeps in touch with some of those old team-mates.

A 10-point start has been handed to the Roughyeds on the handicap coupon for tomorrow’s game, an illustration that many neutrals have Featherstone down as weighty favourites.

However, Tonks expects his side to face a very tough battle at the Leigh Sports Village Stadium against a free-scoring Oldham outfit currently second in Co-operative Championship One.

“I still text (Oldham chairman) Bill Quinn to see how he is,” Tonks added.

“I also keep up with Bainesy (Chris Baines) and Lucas (Onyango) on Facebook, as well as Adam Robinson, whose brother Craig is there now, while I speak to Rob Roberts as well.

“I look forward to catching up with a few people after the game.

“Looking at the Oldham side in the paper the other day, there are still quite a few players left who I played alongside.

“We know it will be a very tough game with Oldham having a lot of very good players, so we will need to complete our sets and not make mistakes.

“In effect, both teams are playing away from home and we had a good result there (a 30-16 win against Leigh) a few weeks ago.

“It is a good pitch and a cracking good stadium so we are happy to be back there.”