Hopes high for Agoro

MO Agoro seems to be winning his fight for fitness ahead of Oldham RL Club’s clash with Hemel Stags at Whitebank on Sunday (3pm).

The former Leeds Rhinos youngster missed last week’s win in South Wales because of an ankle injury, but he trained normally last night to raise hopes that he will be back in his usual right-wing berth against the team that has surpassed all expectations in its first season at this level.

Agoro (20) will have a final fitness test tomorrow and if he gets through that he will be flying into the start of the second half of the Roughyeds’ Championship One promotion bid.

Salford’s Dan Brotherton, a dual-registration player who filled in at No 2 last Sunday, will not be involved this time — a strong hint perhaps that Roughyeds are quietly optimistic about Agoro’s availability.

If he were to break down, however, Steven Nield would probably win a recall to the 17, given that both he and Richard Lepori are equally at home at full-back and wing.

Elsewhere in the side, Halifax’s on-loan Anthony Bowman will be strongly fancied to make his home debut at half-back.

The players had a tough work-out last night in practice against the under-20s.

“It wasn’t quite full-tackle, but close enough to it to make it hurt,” said assistant coach Lee Spencer. “It was clearly beneficial.”

He is expected to name a similar side to last week’s, but several other players will also be in contention, namely Agoro, Neil Roden, Niall Bradley, Matt Singleton, Aaron Hall, Liam Thompson and Nield.