Fresh start as Lions enter our own den

THE PLAY-OFFS that start this weekend will be like a totally new competition for us.

With Swinton Lions coming across to Boundary Park, we have to get back up and running following the loss at Hunslet and this is a big week for us in terms of getting ourselves ready and prepared.

I am really disappointed with what we did over there on Sunday. Now is the time to get down to looking at and understanding what we did wrong and why we did so, in order to put things right.

We have to get a good, solid week of training behind us and ensure that it goes smoothly and without any hiccups occurring.

The two interception tries at Hunslet really hurt us and they came at important moments in the game, one in either half.

It was a tough call to decide whether to keep Thomas Coyle out there or to bring him off after that, especially given that the play-offs are just around the corner, but we decided to take him out of the action and put Matty Ashe on.

Thomas is young at 21 and it is a big ask for him to perform the role that he does in the side. He has the ball in hand more than any other player and so his ratio of errors will be more telling overall.

He has just got to consider if what he is doing is the correct play at any moment in time, or whether we should stick to playing up the centre of the field.

Looking at the bigger picture, we have had to contend with losing five of our best players in recent months while Hunslet have gained around as many, including the two – Josh Weeden and Wayne McHugh – who did so much damage to us. That doesn't include player-coach Paul March, either.

As well as those five we are also without the injured Paul Highton and Marcus St Hilaire and Paul Reilly were in the side but working their way back from injury.

We know that every game from here on in is difficult. Swinton are a side who can score a lot of points – they put 28 past York away from home on Saturday night – so we will have to defend well.

You also never know what Graham Holroyd will do and his kicking game is very good.

To win the game, we will certainly have to play much better and control the ball if we are to win the game.

But we absolutely still believe that we can make it to the play-off final and gain promotion.

tonybenson@oldham–chronicle.co.uk