OF the current Oldham squad nobody has scored more tries for Roughyeds than Danny Langtree, whose brace against Featherstone Lions took him past the half-century.
He’s racked up 51 tries in 124 first-team games — all but two of them under the command of Scott Naylor, who thinks just as highly of him today as he did when he first clapped eyes on the former St Helens junior at the back end of 2012.
In the build-up to tomorrow’s (Sunday) big game against York City Knights at the Vestacare Stadium (3pm kick-off), Naylor has pinpointed three qualities that make the strong-running second-row man a player who commands his utmost respect —- consistency, reliability, loyalty.
Said the Roughyeds boss:
“Apart from the odd times he’s been injured, he’s been an ever-present since I took over for the 2013 season. His levels are very high.
“I can always count on Langers. Every time he pulls on the shirt he’ll give everything. He wants to win, and that’s the only way he knows how to play.
“He’s a very loyal person and he loves this club. He’s had a few offers from other clubs down the years, but he’s always chosen to stay at Oldham where he started out in the reserves about seven or eight years ago.
“I’m delighted for him on his 50-try milestone and I’m sure he’ll score a lot more tries yet.”
Langtree will be expected to continue his new second-row partnership with Danny Bridge against a powerful-looking York outfit which has been further strengthened by the addition of dual-reg man James Donaldson from Hull KR.
The 26-year-old Cumbrian back-row man is likely to start on the bench alongside another newcomer, loan signing Colton Roche from Huddersfield Giants.
Matty Marsh, another dual-reg man from Hull KR, will continue his half-back pairing with in-form Connor Robinson, once of Halifax.
The vastly-experienced Donaldson played 79 Super League games for Bradford before joining Hull KR and he is now starting a comeback after a long lay-off with a serious knee injury.
The arrival of Donaldson and Roche will allow coach James Ford to switch his 2017 player-of-the-year Joe Batchelor from second-row to centre and to move Graeme Horne from prop to back-row.
Their 19-man squad is: Moss, Robson, Batchelor, Hey, Cockayne, Mazive, C Robinson, Marsh, A Robinson, Ellis, Siddons, Horne, Scott, Spears, Jubb, Donaldson, Roche, Porter, Hawksworth.
Said coach Ford:
“Oldham are very physical, relentless around the ruck. Our contacts will have to be good.
“It’s horses-for-courses this week. We rate Oldham. They dusted up Keighley and nilled Whitehaven away.
“Oldham and York can both expect to be competing for the top places at the end of the season.”
