Casey set for Oldham debut

JOHN GILLAM . . . continues comeback in the reserves tomorrow.

LOCAL boy Callum Casey, signed on loan from Leeds Rhinos, is in line to make his Roughyeds debut in the reserve team game against Sheffield Eagles at Whitebank tomorrow (kick-off 2.30pm).

The 21-year-old stand-off or loose-forward is included in a strong-looking 19-man Oldham squad which will be seeking its fifth win in six games to go third in the Under-23s Reserve Championship.

A son of former Oldham prop Leo Casey, Callum is among several up-and-coming Rhinos Academy players whom the Super League side have encouraged to go on loan to Championship One clubs in order to gain experience.

His Rhinos team-mate Danny Bravo, a forward, has come with him to the Roughyeds for at least a month, but the 20-year-old prop or second-row man is not included in tomorrow’s line-up.

Nevertheless, coach John Hough has named a tasty-looking 19 which provides another recent capture, former Swinton Lions prop Bruce Johnson, with his third appearance in the reserves but his first on home soil.

Johnson will be playing at Whitebank for the first time in an Oldham jersey, having already helped Hough’s men to back-to-back victories at Keighley and Halifax, where he scored two tries.

His outstanding fellow prop at The Shay, Danny Langtree, won’t be playing tomorrow because he has pre-arranged family commitments, but Alex Thompson is back after injury to boost the pack.

Outside the pack, Chris Headon returns after injury at centre while Jamie Dallimore will be in contention for one of the half-back spots after showing up superbly well on his league debut at senior level in last week’s defeat of South Wales Scorpions

John Gillam, out of the first-team limelight for several weeks due to a foot injury, will continue his comeback after successfully negotiating his first game back with an impressive performance at Halifax.