LEFT-WING Ben West, three tries in five cup and league appearances this season, is out of Oldham’s Betfred League 1 clash with Hunslet at the Vestacare Stadium on Sunday (3pm kick-off).
The former Siddal outside back, who has made a big impression since turning pro, is suffering from delayed concussion from a knock in the game at Bradford on Good Friday.
He has to comply with the RFL’s back-to-play protocol concerning head injuries and concussion and, as a consequence, he won’t be available this weekend.
It isn’t yet clear whether dual-reg personnel will be available from partner club Salford Red Devils, who have loaned out Levy Nzoungou to Swinton Lions for an initial one month and have extended for another month the loan period to the Lions of his fellow front-rower Gavin Bennion.
Roughyeds and Hunslet will be meeting for the first time since the team then called Hunslet Hawks broke Oldham hearts with a third-tier Grand Final 17-16 win, after golden point extra time, at Headingley in October, 2014.
Having won two of their three previous games with Hunslet by one point, Roughyeds suffered in the worst way possible when Thomas Coyle dropped the all-important goal just under five minutes into golden-point extra time.
It was their sixth Grand Final defeat in eight years and the second under the charge of Scott Naylor, who is now in his sixth season at the club.
Of the Hunslet side that played that day only two players are still at the South Leeds Stadium —- full-back Jimmy Watson and Michael Haley.
Oldham have five players who will remember that dreadful day —- Steven Nield, Phil Joy, Gareth Owen, Danny Langtree (one of our try scorers) and Kenny Hughes.
“It’s a long time ago, but Sunday’s game is bound to stir some memories,”
said Naylor, who is targeting four points from consecutive home games against Hunslet and Keighley Cougars.
He added:
“We need to pick up our performances and put a string of wins together. Hunslet will be tough opponents but we go into the game confident in our ability to win and to cement our spot in the upper reaches of the division.
“Three of our four league games to date have been away from home, but we now have a little run at the Vestacare Stadium and we’ve got to make home advantage count.”
