St Hilaire on Oldham alert

Marcus St Hilaire

MARCUS St Hilaire, Oldham RL Club’s most experienced player, is pushing for a recall to the Roughyeds’ side in Sunday’s clash with second-in-the-table Keighley Cougars at the Whitebank (3pm kick-off).

With more than 200 Super League appearances on his CV, the former Leeds, Huddersfield and Bradford ace is fully fit and back in training after six weeks of inactivity.

The 34-year-old last played on June 12 in the 35-18 home win against South Wales, after which injury, holidays and work commitments pushed him into the background.

Matthew Fogarty (twice) and Mark Brocklehurst have filled the right-centre berth in the three games since then, but with both those players battling to shake off injuries, St Hilaire could get the nod.

“He’s certainly back in contention,” confirmed Oldham coach Tony Benson.

Brocklehurst is being monitored for a foot injury, while teenager Fogarty had no sooner recovered from an elbow injury he picked up in his exciting performance against Whitehaven three weeks ago when he damaged a hand in an accident at work.

Brocklehurst apart, everyone who played in the narrow 36-34 defeat at London Skolars last time out has been cleared to play, Callum Casey (dead leg), Ben Heaton (head injury) and Martin Roden (knee) having had time to recover fully.

St Hilaire, Liam Gilchrist and possibly Fogarty will give Benson options.

“It should be a cracking game,” Benson said. “Keighley need to win to stick on the heels of leaders Swinton, while we want three points so as not to lose touch with the teams just above us.”

Players who were out with long-term injuries were making good progress, although there are concerns about Mick Fogerty’s knee injury.

Updates on other casualties — Chris Clarke (broken thumb): a splint will be removed on Friday. If all is well he could be back after two weeks of rehab.

Lucas Onyango (Achilles): improving daily. Is targeting mid-August for a return.

Bruce Johnson (finger): Sees a specialist on Friday. Hopes to be back soon.

Dave Ellison (elbow): Training hard in the gym, but still two weeks away from his next hospital appointment.