Players in the shop window

Benson’s Beat, by coach Tony benson

IT is always exciting for players when they appear in front of live TV cameras, which is the case at York tomorrow night.

Our last game, against Featherstone Rovers in the quarter-finals of the Northern Rail Cup, was also shown live on television. I was so wrapped up in everything that goes on during a match day, I actually forgot all about it being on TV.

Some of the players will have new haircuts, so they will look the part.

Games on television and at night tend to be different as they are often played at a faster pace.

Why? Players are excited and they want to impress, and who can blame them. They are showcasing their talents in front of a much wider audience, rather than the 1,000 or so who turn up on a Sunday afternoon.

The players are in the shop window, so it’s exciting for them.

So, after three weeks off, we’ve finally got a competitive game on our hands.

The players do get bored when they haven’t had a game for such a long time and it does get harder to motivate them in training.

Match fitness is bound to suffer, but these are challenges we have to overcome.

It is also hard to maintain the level of contact simulation and physical challenge what you get in matches, but we have tried to get as close to it as we can in training without going over the top.

We’ve been working hard, but it’s been very difficult when we haven’t had a game for so long.

To have a break of this length is not to our advantage and the players must be conscious of that.

Hopefully we can get a bit of run going, starting with York.

York, who are only a point behind us, gave Hunslet a bit of a pounding the other week and will be dangerous opponents.

We then play Workington away, but then there is the nines tournament, before we play Keighley at home.

The season is a little bit disjointed, but that’s the same for everyone.

GOT any questions to put to Tony? Simply email the address below:

tonybenson@oldham-chronicle.co.uk