OLDHAM are free without a game next weekend so by the time they go to Batley Bulldogs on Saturday, April 17 (12.45pm kick-off) they hope to have a clean bill of health apart from Matty Wilkinson and his broken leg.
Currently on the casualty list are Luke Nelmes, Lewis Charnock, Tommy Brierley, Phil Joy, James Barran and Kyran Johnson.
Latest victim was stand-off Charnock, who copped a ‘stinger’ in the first few minutes of Friday’s stirring 28-20 Championship win against Swinton Lions and was forced to be helped off as early as the seventh minute, never to return.
“Even after the game he still couldn’t feel one of his arms,”
said club chairman Chris Hamilton.
Roughyeds had to completely reorganise the side, with Gareth Owen taking over at outside-half and Declan Gregory leaving the bench to play nearly the full game at hooker.
It was the game’s second setback for Roughyeds, who were forced to withdraw winger Tommy Brierley shortly before kick-off because of a back injury.
Ben Holcroft made his debut on the wing in a back division which also included another youngster from Wigan, Max Roberts, both of whom did well in a typically tough and uncompromising Championship battle.
“We overcame a lot of adversity as well as a ten-point deficit and that was particularly pleasing,”
said the chairman.
Prop Phil Joy, who was on water-carrying duty, is over the knock he received at Featherstone in the first friendly, but he has since picked up a hamstring injury.
He damaged a hamstring in pre-season, but this latest setback involves his other one.
Nelmes hurt a knee in the first-round Betfred Challenge Cup win against Barrow and has since missed both Swinton games, but coach Matt Diskin expects to report a much clearer injury situation after the next two weeks of training.
He was particularly pleased to open the Championship campaign with a win and has since confirmed that his preference would always be two league points over a cup triumph, even in this case where Swinton’s appearance in the 1895 Cup semi-final puts them only one win away from Wembley.
