Match Preview: Oldham v Halifax

Oldham host Halifax Panthers at Boundary Park on Sunday (3pm) in a meeting of two of the top contenders in the Betfred Championship.

The Roughyeds are looking to bounce back from the disappointment of last weekend's 1895 Cup semi-final defeat to Featherstone, with a big performance against the Panthers in what is the final home game until July.

Team News

New signing Zane Musgrove has been included in the Oldham squad after completing his move from Warrington Wolves and could be set for a Roughyeds debut after training with his new team-mates for the first time on Friday.

The other big bit of news is the return of powerhouse winger Mo Agoro who has been frustrated by a niggling pelvic injury.

Fellow prop Jay Chapelhow also returns to the squad and Ryan Lannon is back after being Cup-tied last weekend.

Captain Jordan Turner misses out, and neither Wigan youngster Tom Forber nor Nathan Lowe feature this week.

Jack Johnson and experienced forward Elijah Taylor are not quite ready to return - Taylor has been cleared from his head injury, but is recovering from a calf issue.

Both French signings Eloi Pelissier and Mathieu Pons make the squad again.

Centres Iain Thornley and Jumah Sambou, winger Kieran Dixon and vice-captain Matty Wildie remain out long-term, while Brad Gallagher, Ben O'Keefe and McKenzie Yei continue their drive back to full fitness.

Squad in full: 1. Logan Astley, 5. Mo Agoro, 6. Danny Craven, 7. Riley Dean, 8. Gil Dudson, 11. Matty Ashurst, 12. Adam Lawton, 13. Adam Milner, 14. Bailey Aldridge, 15. Jay Chapelhow, 19. Ted Chapelhow, 21. Lewis Baxter, 22. Cian Tyrer, 23. Josh Drinkwater, 30. George Hirst, 31. Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e, 37. Ryan Lannon, 38. Ben Davies, 39. Mathieu Pons, 40. Eloi Pelissier, 00. Zane Musgrove.

The Opposition

Having finished ninth in the Championship last season, Halifax got off to a flyer this year and have been setting the pace at the top of the table.

They are now one of three teams - alongside Toulouse and Bradford, level on 14 points at the top, just two points clear of Oldham.

Led by former dual-code star Kyle Eastmond, the Panthers will be fresh having had a weekend off while the Roughyeds were in 1895 Cup action.

Halifax have had a difficult May after their impressive start to the campaign. They come into the game off the back of back-to-back defeats, losing 32-0 away to Toulouse at the start of the month followed by a surprise 30-6 home defeat by Doncaster. They had ended April with a thumping seven-try home win over London.

Star men included their newest signing David Nofoaluma - the NRL legend and record try scorer for Wests Tigers who has joined Halifax on a deal for the remainder of the season.

Halifax were founder members of Super League and boast four Championship titles and five Challange Cup wins.

Match Experience

We are very proud of our Boundary Park matchday experience and there will be plenty going on this Sunday as Oldham play at home for the last time until July to allow work on the pitch at the end of the football season.

We encourage fans to arrive early to take advantage of activities in Bar 1895 and around the stadium, with street food, drinks and live music from the Boundary Parkas before the match.

Before the main event kicks off, we’re looking forward to hosting a curtain-raiser featuring the U9s from Oldham St Annes who will take on Siddal.

The entertainment in Bar 1895 kicks off with live music, before host George Riley takes over at 2pm with the all-important exclusive first read of the big-match team news, plus live interviews, photo opportunities and autographs with the Oldham stars not in the matchday 17.

Our legendary club mascot Roary the Roughyed will also be on hand to meet all our young - and old - Roughyeds fans.

It is the perfect place to meet your friends and family, have a drink before and after the game, listen to live music, watch live sport including Roughyeds footage on the big screens, and gain real insight from the players before and after the game.

Visiting fans from Halifax are also warmly welcomed.

Tickets

Tickets are the usual price of £20 for adults and £14 concessions with kids going free.

We strongly encourage fans to save £4 by purchasing their match tickets in advance as prices do rise on matchday.
This is to help us manage numbers and ensure we have the correct areas open to maximise the fan experience on matchdays, and we appreciate your understanding on this.

Access:

For hospitality - including pie and peas - we request you arrive by 1pm if you are eating.

For Bar 1895 - please note that fans can enter the stadium via Bar 1895, but there is no re-entry to Bar 1895 before kick-off once you are inside the stadium - so relax and enjoy the Bar 1895 entertainment before taking your seats.
Once the match has kicked off, fans will be able to access Bar 1895 from the stadium.

Other refreshments are available via the kiosks on the concourse.

Merch:

We want you to look the part and are delighted to have taken a spot in Athletic Store at the ground this year.

So all of our Roughyeds merchandise, including our training gear, is now being stocked at Boundary Park, and fans can pop in to get kitted out on matchday.

Media coverage

Make sure you are following all of our social channels, on Facebook, X and Instagram, the only place to hear the first thoughts from head coach Sean Long before and after kick off this Saturday, see exclusive on-the-hooter interviews with our players at the end of the game, watch try clips during matches, cast your vote for Man of the Match and much more.

This week we welcome our colleagues from The Sportsman who have selected this fixture for live streaming via their YouTube channel.

For our own loyal fans unable to get to the game there will be our usual live audio-only commentary service available via Roughyeds TV on You Tube from 3pm.

Please subscribe, follow, like, comment, share and engage with our media content that we are so proud to have to rival any throughout rugby league - it all helps with our IMG score too.

We can't wait to have you with us at Boundary Park on Sunday as we host Featherstone .... Let’s hear the Roughyed Roar!