Roughyeds Reports: Search for new home continues

oldham roughyedsTHOUGH IT still isn’t known where promoted Oldham Rugby League Club will be playing home games in the 2016 Championship season, everything else appears to be going according to plan as Scott Naylor’s men get ready to compete in a quality division which is only one down from Super League.

According to club sources, pre-season training is going well under the command of head coach Naylor, his assistants Lee Spencer and newcomer Peter Carey and head conditioner Kane Daniels.

Twenty one players are contracted for 2016 or beyond, including new boys Danny Grimshaw from Hunslet Hawks; Craig Briscoe, Barrow Raiders; Jamel Chisholm, York City Knights and Jack Spencer, Lee’s lad, from Halifax.

More players will be available from partner club Huddersfield Giants on the dual-registration system, similar to last season.

Roughyeds have confirmed that links with the Giants will be continued for a second season, both clubs having expressed their satisfaction at how well the scheme worked in the 2015 campaign to provide mutual benefit.

Also following the pattern of last year, there will be three warm-up games on away grounds, followed by a weekend off before the start of the season proper.

After three years in cold storage, the Law Cup will again be paraded at Spotland on Sunday, January 17 (3pm) when Oldham and Rochdale Hornets resume pre-season derby-day hostilities for the traditional old trophy.

It will be the second of the three warm-up games, sandwiched between trips to Keighley Cougars on Sunday, January 10 and to Barrow Raiders on Sunday, January 24.

Fans of both clubs will welcome the return of the Law Cup derby which has thrown up some classic encounters over the years.

Oldham completed a League One double over their nearest and dearest last year, but at Spotland in January both sides will be fielding new signings and 2015 results will count for nothing.

Naylor will be keen to closely scrutinise his quartet of newcomers, while incoming Hornets’ coach Alan Kilshaw will be assessing the contributions of his new boys, including David Cookson, once of Oldham, Harry Files, Jono Smith and Oldham-born Lewis Galbraith.

The serious stuff will kick in on Sunday, February 7 when full-time professionals London Broncos travel north to lift the curtain on the Roughyeds first taste of the action at this level since 2006, when they were relegated.

The Roughyeds’ biggest close-season issue of the lot though concerns ongoing talks to find a 2016 ‘home’ that will meet the RFL’s minimum standards for Championship rugby.

Judging by the lack of information emerging from the club since it was announced several weeks ago that talks were to be opened with Oldham Athletic about a possible ground-share at SportsDirect.com Park, it would appear the Roughyeds’ search is proving difficult to bring to a successful conclusion.