OUR pre-season schedule went to a new and higher level today with an opposed session against Championship high-flyers Batley Bulldogs in Yorkshire.
Batley finished fifth in the Championship last season, with 17 wins and two draws from their 27 regular-season games, losing only eight to finish with 36 points and end the campaign behind Leigh Centurions, Featherstone Rovers, Halifax Panthers and surprise packets Barrow Raiders.
They finished above York City Knights; Sheffield Eagles; Widnes Vikings, who come to the Vestacare Stadium for a pre-season friendly tomorrow week, January 22; Bradford Bulls; Whitehaven; London Broncos; Newcastle Thunder and relegated Dewsbury Rams and Workington Town.
More significantly, they beat Featherstone away twice (in league and play-offs), drew at home in the league with Rovers and reached the play-off final (one step from Super League), going down 44-12 at Leigh.
Roughyeds say they got a lot from the session and benefitted hugely from going head to head with a side from the upper echelons of the Championship.
Most of the Roughyeds’ squad got a run-out against a very good side which head coach Stu Littler said provided a stern challenge and a very good pre-season exercise.
He said:
“First of all, a massive thanks to Craig Lingard and everyone at Batley for arranging it. It was good to get out on a field and put some processes in place against such a strong Championship side.
“Everyone who was fit got a run-out and it was good for our younger players to find out first hand what it was like to play against a team from the top end of the Championship.
“Only a week before Widnes come to the Vestacare for a pre-season game, it was good to do an opposed session and we got a lot out of it. We got some footage, which will come in handy, and we identified a few things of note – some which looked good and others which need working on.
“Everyone who could run got a run and we now look forward to having our fans back with us next Sunday. It will be great to see and hear them again.
“Once we see their colours and hear them again, with Kev to the fore, we’ll know the season will soon be upon us. Bring it on – first Widnes, then Rochdale in the Law Cup. We are still in pre-season, of course, but it will soon be time to go to Doncaster in the Challenge Cup and I’m not the only one at Oldham to be excited by that.”
