Match Preview: Oldham v Halifax

Oldham host Halifax Panthers in a Betfred Championship Playoff Eliminator under the Boundary Park lights on Friday night, with the winners progressing to the semi-finals and the losers seeing their season end.

In a huge game for the town, Sean Long's men look to build on the two regular season wins over the Panthers this year, while Kyle Eastmond's side will arrive hungry to gain revenge and produce a big performance of their own.

A big crowd is expected, with hospitalility selling out and fans advised to book their tickets in advance in one of the Roughyeds' biggest rugby league games in years. (Kick-off 8pm)

A reminder - this is a stand-alone playoff game, and not included on the season ticket.

Team News

Head coach Sean Long is without injured back row forward Matty Foster but boosted by the return from injury of experienced second row Matty Ashurst.

There are five changes in total, with prop Gil Dudson earning a recall, as well as versatile forward Pat Moran.

There are also returns from injury for both half-back Riley Dean and prop Ted Chapelhow.

Elijah Taylor remains sidelined through concussion protocols, with the club confirming this week that Taylor would be returning home at the end of the season.

Still out through injury are Mo Agoro and Iain Thornley.

Dropping out of the 21-man squad from last week's game at Featherstone along with the injured Foster are Ryan Lannon, Jack Johnson, Mathieu Pons and Lewis Baxter.

Squad in full: 1. Ryan Brierley, 2. Kieran Dixon, 7. Riley Dean, 8. Gil Dudson, 9. Matty Wildie, 10. Owen Farnworth, 11. Matty Ashurst, 12. Jack Ormondroyd, 13. Adam Milner, 15. Jay Chapelhow, 16. Pat Moran, 19. Ted Chapelhow, 23. Josh Drinkwater, 24. Ben O'Keefe, 25. Tom Whitehead, 28. Ethan Ryan, 30. George Hirst, 31. Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e, 38. Ben Davies, 40. Eloi Pelissier, 42. Morgan Smith.

The Opposition

Halifax finished the regular season one position below Oldham in fifth, with just three points separating the two sides - Oldham winning 15 games to Halifax's 14.

The Panthers are also hitting form at the right time, coming into the playoffs on a five-match winning streak. Those wins came against Sheffield, Hunslet, Barrow, Widnes and Doncaster.

The two regular season games between these two sides both went Oldham's way, with a convincing 34-10 win at Boundary Park at the end of May followed up by a nail-biting 23-20 win at Odsal in June.

Roughyeds have won each of the last four meetings between the two sides.

Match Experience

This is going to be a cracker, with live music in Bar 1895 before the game, a sizeable support from Halifax expected and a thrilling contest in prospect on the field with all the drama of sudden-death rugby league.

A reminder - this is a 8pm kick off, so get there early and enjoy all the build-up and atmosphere beforehand.

Inside Bar 1895 we will have live music from our Meat Loaf tribute act Peter Young to kick off our usual friendly atmosphere, with a fantastic variety of drinks on offer too.
Host George Riley takes over at 7pm 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 Roughyeds fans.

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

Visiting fans from Halifax are of course warmly welcomed. 🦁

Tickets

Tickets are the special price of £16 for adults and £3 for under-16s and will remain the same on the day. There are no additional concessions for this fixture.

Remember - this is a special playoff game and not part of your season ticket.

Click here to buy yours.

Access:

For hospitality - including pie and peas - we request you arrive by 6pm if you are eating.

Do allow good time for your arrival, and remember that our chairman Bill Quinn will be speaking in the Broadway Suite before the game.

Access for the additional hospitality in the FSW Players Suite is via Furtherwood Road.

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.

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 on Friday night, see exclusive on-the-hooter interviews with our players at the end of the game and cast your vote for Man of the Match - plus much more.

We urge all of our fans to get behind this team on its exciting upward trajectory.
Our aim is Super League - we have submitted a very strong application - but we need your help to get there - we need to build big crowds to be in the conversation. So if your friends and family are at a loose end - bring them!

But we also understand that not all of our fanbase can make it every week, with many of you exiled far and wide and others at work or unable to attend for medical reasons.

For that reason we are proud to bring our fans together with the usual live audio-only commentary service available exclusively via Roughyeds TV on You Tube from 8pm. We have one of the best in the business in George Riley bringing you his thrilling play-by-play commentary for this unmissable game.

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 Friday night as we go toe to toe with Halifax... Let’s hear the Roughyed Roar!