Oldham play Barrow Raiders in pre-season game

Oldham RLFC

Oldham will play their usual pre-season game against newly-promoted Barrow Raiders at Craven Park on Sunday, 21 January, kick-off 2pm.

It will give fans an early chance to look at new boys Paul Crook, Luke Nelmes, Danny Rasool, Kyran Johnson, Dave Eccleston, Matt Reid and Adam Jones.

Liam Bent can also be classed as a new signing, although he is already well known to supporters, having played 17 games for Roughyeds on loan last season from Salford Red Devils.

Crook, the one experienced campaigner in a clutch of new young bloods, will be returning to the Craven Park ground where he played his last game of 2017 in Whitehaven's narrow defeat in an epic League One promotion final.

Barrow won 10-6 to seal their place in the Championship in front of more than 3,000 spectators, many of whom had travelled down the coast from Whitehaven.

Roughyeds will announce more warm-up dates once they are finalised.

In recent years they have had three pre-season tests, leaving a free weekend before the start of the league programme, a formula required by head coach Scott Naylor.

The new League One season starts on Sunday 18 February when Oldham go to Whitehaven in a tough encounter that will provide Roughyeds with a stern examination of their credentials to win a swift return to the Championship.