NEW on-loan half-back Robbie Butterworth, from Wakefield Trinity, is in line for his first Oldham appearance against Swinton Lions at the Vestacare Stadium on Sunday (3pm).
The 19-year-old, who has trained with us this week, is included in Stu Littler’s initial 21-man squad and in the final countdown he will rival one or other of the regular halves Martyn Ridyard or David Hewitt.
Compared with the 17 on duty in a 38-16 defeat at London Skolars last week, hooker Billy Yarrow and regular second-row man Ethan Ferry drop out with Brad Jinks back in the firing line.
Squad: Andrade, Butterworth, Cameron, Cooke, Carr, Coventry, Flynn, Hartley, Hewitt, Jinks, Morgan, Nelmes, Newton, Restall, Ridyard, Slater, Spencer, Thornton, Wellington, Whittel, Windrow.
Among the sponsors on Sunday will be our main club sponsors CDX Security.
And we will have a special guest, local boxer Naomi Kalu, who is 18 and clearly heading for the top in her chosen sport.
Naomi, who will present the match ball to referee Kevin Moore, has already produced some terrific performances in her young career.
Her achievements include:
Twice North-West Champion
Gold medal winner and named boxer of the tournament at an international event in Sweden
She is the current under-60kg National Champion and is also captain of the North-West regional boxing squad
Naomi has also been a keen singer and piano player since the age of five. When she was 15 she wrote a song with her dad, Peter, filmed it and got it recognised by the National Trust and by the likes of Benjamin Zephaniah on YouTube.
She also performed at the Sheba Arts Festival last year and she will be performing again on June 25.
Our message to Naomi from Oldham RLFC is this: “Keep up the good work. Here at Oldham RLFC we are proud of you!”
(More later today on Sunday’s big day at the Vestacare Stadium).
