OLDHAM boss Scott Naylor has called on both teams to provide ‘a good game of rugby’ at the South Leeds Stadium on Sunday (3pm) in the wake of his side’s last clash with Hunslet at the Vestacare Stadium in April.
In a fiery clash back then Oldham captain Gareth Owen and Hunslet’s Mike Emmett were sin-binned near the end and a few minutes later, after another incident, Danny Langtree was shown yellow and Dan Hawksworth red.
On both occasions play restarted with a penalty to Oldham, but it was Hunslet who took advantage of the extra space with only 22 players on the pitch.
They trailed 28-18 late in the game but finished with three converted tries, two from long range by former Oldham player Ben Heaton, to snatch a 36-28 win.
Said Roughyeds boss Naylor:
“We both finished with 11 men and Hunslet used the extra space to spread the ball and go round us to score two long-range tries which was very disappointing from our point of view.
“There’s a lot at stake in the rematch on Sunday and we don’t want a game of pushing and shoving or one in which the players constantly try winding-up opponents, which is what happened in the last game.
“We just want to play good rugby which is what we should be doing anyway.”
Centre Cameron Leeming is doubtful with a hamstring injury and utility forward Ed Smith is said to be struggling with a rib problem.
Young, on-loan prop Jimmy Beckett is going through concussion protocol after taking a knock at Coventry.
All three will be checked out later before Naylor names his 19-man squad.
Hunslet also have a centre problem concerning Nathan Chappell, who has been given a one-match penalty notice by the RFL’s Match Review panel for a grade B offence of using foul and abusive language.
On this final weekend of the Betfred League 1 season, leaders Whitehaven play Coventry Bears away tomorrow (Sat) afternoon with a 2pm kick-off for purposes of live streaming on the OuRLeague app.
Oldham will know before they play on Sunday whether a win will give them the league title, and with it promotion, or simply secure them second place.
- Saturday, September 7: Coventry Bears v Whitehaven (2pm); North Wales Crusaders v London Skolars (2.30pm).
- Sunday, September 8: Hunslet v Oldham (3pm); Keighley Cougars v Newcastle Thunder (3pm); Workington Town v Doncaster (3pm).
Oldham full-back Ritchie Hawkyard needs three more tries to reach the milestone of 100 career touchdowns.
