OLDHAM, currently sitting third in Betfred League One with six wins and a draw from their eight games, face four matches in June which could prove pivotal in the push for promotion.
It all starts tomorrow (Saturday) with the visit of fourth-placed Hunslet to the Vestacare Stadium (3pm) n another attractive fixture against a side that has won four games on the spin, that has recruited ambitiously this season and which itself has aspirations of playing Championship rugby league in 2024.
After Hunslet come London Skolars away next Saturday, June 10 (3pm); Doncaster at home on Sunday. June 18 (3pm); and Dewsbury Rams away on Friday evening June 23 – that’s three out of the four against top-four opposition, more specifically against the two teams currently above them, Dewsbury and Doncaster, and the side immediately below them, Hunslet.
The other game with top-four relevance this weekend is Sunday’s game in Birmingham between Midlands Hurricanes and Doncaster. If Oldham win tomorrow they will go second but if they are to stay there going into the Capital Challenge on June 10 they will require Hurricanes to play as well against Doncaster for 80 minutes this Sunday as they did against us for 40 minutes last weekend.
As for tomorrow’s tough test at what promises to be another scorching hot Vestacare occasion, most Oldham fans will probably get their first glimpse of our new on-loan forward Samy Kibula, who made his debut last time out in our 50-16 win against Midlands Hurricanes in north Birmingham.
Born in the Congo, of a Congolese father and a South African mother, Samy is a 23-year-old giant of a man, standing 6ft 4” and weighing in at more than 17 stone. He played initially at Leigh Miners where he was scouted by Wigan Warriors. He is currently at Batley Bulldogs, from whom we have signed him initially on a month’s loan.
Pat Moran, a more experienced forward and a class act by any standards, is also adding a new dimension to our forwards and with Luke Nelmes in good form, Emmerson Whittel his usual all-action self, Matty Wilkinson as sharp as ever from dummy half and his replacement, Sean Slater, nippy and elusive behind the ruck, the Roughyeds are proving a more-than-useful pack which lays down the foundation and the platform from which the irrepressible Jordan Paga and the cool, calm and collected Martyn Ridyard link up cleverly at half-back.
Full-back Gregg McNally, all class, looks good at the back and there isn’t a stronger finisher in this division than “our Pat” – that’s Pat Ah Van, who looks just as good in the forwards as he does out on the wing. This one-time Samoan international, reared in the tough community and the physically-demanding environment of rugby league in South Auckland, has quickly become a fans’ favourite at Oldham.
Among his 992 career points — yes, that’s only eight short of the magical 1,000 – Pat has scored 526 for Widnes Vikings, 242 for Bradford Bulls, 74 for New Zealand Warriors, eight for Samoa and 36 for Oldham in just a few games. He’s going to reach his special milestone this year so be ready for the try that takes him over the line.
It will be a special moment – let’s play our part in making it one when it happens.
We must not run away with the idea, though, that Oldham will be the only side with some very good players when the teams run out at the Vestacare Stadium tomorrow.
Last time out, winger Johnny Campbell scored a hat-trick of tries on his home debut in Hunslet’s 36-18 win against Rochdale Hornets, then there are well-known players like Matty Beharrell at stand-off, Sam Hallas and Steve Crossley at prop and Josh Jordan-Roberts, son of Two Bobs, our former skipper, in the second-row.
The clever, shrewd Beharrell has often stretched us in the past and he has obviously been persuaded to return to Hunslet for a second crack in order to do the sort of organisational job that Riddy is so expertly doing for us.
It promises to be a skilful game between two accomplished sides, each with a return to the Championship in mind. See you there!
