Oldham’s sights fixed on No.1

Tony Benson: determination

Coach admits competition ‘the toughest yet’
TONY Benson, Oldham RL Club’s Kiwi boss, believes he has the squad to finish top of the Co-operative Championship One campaign which starts for Roughyeds at Workington on Sunday.

“Our goal is to be No. 1”, said Benson, who is under no illusions about the size of the task.

“It will be a cut-throat competition — by far the toughest and most competitive since I came to England six or seven years ago.”

Ten clubs will go to the starting gate, each chasing promotion to the Championship by finishing in the top four and thus leaving behind an expansionist third tier of 10 which will include four new clubs in 2013.

Northampton and Hemel Stags will be there plus two more newcomers, still to be announced.

They will be joined by any six from the following: Oldham, Barrow, Doncaster, Gateshead Thunder, London Skolars, Rochdale Hornets, North Wales Crusaders, South Wales Scorpions, Whitehaven and Workington.

Benson went on: “Promotion will be seen as the way out, and that’s what will make for such a fantastic competition over the next few months.

“Some clubs have already spent a lot of money, relatively speaking, and have put together really strong squads.

“Every team in the division must be respected. Nobody can be written off this time, and no club will walk away with it like Swinton did last year.

“Look at London Skolars for one. In the Northern Rail Cup they beat South Wales, where we drew, and then went on to shock Halifax, so what does that say about them?

“I see every team as a serious threat.

“The Cumbrian teams have recruited heavily and I think it’s great to have two strong clubs in Wales. That is a real boost for the game. South Wales will be hugely advantaged because of their strong links with Wigan Warriors.

“Whether it’s fair I wouldn’t like to say, but they haven’t broken rules and they have done well to acquire the relationship. I expect North Wales to be strong, too. We have talked to one or two players whom we couldn’t afford, and then they go on to sign for North Wales.

“They haven’t been involved in the Northern Rail Cup, but they are riding along under the radar, keeping their heads down and getting ready to mount a serious challenge. Of that, I have absolutely no doubt.”

Benson believes team spirit will play a big part in Roughyeds’ title push.

He said: “Our budget isn't the biggest, but we have decided — unlike a lot of clubs — to invest in scholarship and reserve teams and bring through our own players, many of whom are now established in the first-team squad.

“We are a tight-knit group and we seem to gather strength from adversity. I’m quietly confident we can do well.”




Cooperative Championship






BARROW RAIDERS



RAIDERS head into the Championship One season in good spirits after qualifying from Pool Two in the Northern Rail Cup.

Darren Holt’s side won three out of their four games to make the last eight of the competition.

The club, which nearly folded in the close season, are gunning for a quick return to the Championship after they were relegated for a breach of financial rules in 2011.




DONCASTER



THE Dons have high hopes of a securing one of the four promotion spots up for grabs.

Paul Cooke’s signature is a major tonic and coach Tony Miller will look to the ex-Super League star to make his vast experience felt in the third tier of rugby league.

Although without a win the Northern Rail Cup, Doncaster were up against three teams from the Championship.




GATESHEAD THUNDER



After a disappointing Northern Rail Cup campaign — one point from four games — things can only get better for Thunder.

Coach Kevin Neighbour has made many changes in the close season and it is perhaps a case of giving them time to gel.

With a home fixture against South Wales Scorpions on the opening day, Thunder will look for an instant pick-me-up.




LONDON SKOLARS



NEIL Thorman’s return from injury has provided Skolars with a major lift and he is expected to play at hooker.

Coach Joe Mbu has benefited from the close proximity of London Broncos, with Lumeck Juma, David Williams and Martyn Smith moving across the capital.

They have their sights firmly set on the top four.




NORTH WALES CRUSADERS



COACH Clive Griffiths is boosted by the arrival of three players on dual registrations from Hull KR.

Winger Nick Johnson, plus forwards James Green and Dave Petersen, will be in contention for the club’s first ever game against Barrow Raiders.

Celtic Crusaders, who were disbanded after last season, were succeeded by North Wales.



ROCHDALE HORNETS

FORMER Oldham player Tom Wood-Hulme was among a number of close-season signings at Rochdale, who feature another ex-Roughyeds star in Paul O’Connor.

Casey Mayberry’s return to the club is another plus for John Stankevitch. However, Hornets did not pull up any trees in the Northern Rail Cup.




SOUTH WALES SCORPIONS



SCORPIONS are expected to improve as the season goes on and, in coach Dave Clark, they have a wily campaigner at the helm.

He guided Barrow to the 2009 Northern Rail Cup final and has the experience to lay the foundations for future success in the Valleys.

Scorpions were involved in a ding-dong battle against Oldham last month, with the two sides drawing 36-36.




WHITEHAVEN



NEW Australian coach Don Gailer has brought in a bus load of players, many of them from the Red Rose county.

Richard Varkulis, from Widnes, and Wigan Academy hooker Sam Gee are stand-out signings.

The display against Barrow in the Northern Rail Cup, even though they lost 18-10, gives cause for optimism.




WORKINGTON TOWN



OLDHAM’S first opponents, Workington saw a handful of players leave for Barrow.

However Gary Charlton has managed to make some shrewd signings to add to the side which reached the Grand Final in 2011.

Ex-Oldham player Carl Forber is in the squad, while Daniel Rooney and Brett Phillips are local youngsters to watch.