Ready for the Eagles

Danny Langtree

SCOTT Naylor has promised Oldham fans that his side to play Sheffield Eagles on day one of the Championship season will be significantly stronger than those which he turned out for the three warm-up games.

Danny Langtree who has played only two minutes out of 240 so far, has passed a fitness test on his damaged hamstring and is in line to play at Bower Fold on Sunday (3pm)

So is Danny Grimshaw, who missed the friendlies while on rehab after a groin operation.

Naylor will also have dual-registration players from Huddersfield Giants at his disposal as well as the two on-loan backs from Castleford Tigers, Keiran Gill and Tuoyo Egodo.

Egodo (19), a Londoner, plays wing or centre and is said to be an exciting prospect. Gill (21), a centre, scored eight tries in 12 games for Roughyeds while on loan last season.

Said Naylor: "The team on Sunday won't look anything like those we put out for the friendlies."

George Tyson is suspended, while Nathan Chappell (knee), Craig Briscoe (knee), Liam Thompson (lower back) and Ben Davies (back) are ruled out by injury,

"Everyone else trained flat out last night and will be available for weekend," said Naylor. "I'll have some tough choices to make which is nice."

Squad (from): Turner, Clay, Chisholm, Leatherbarrow, Hewitt, Joy, Gee, Neal, Spencer, Langtree, Burke, Owen, Hughes, Grimshaw, Ward, Gill, Egodo plus dual-reg personnel.

Said Naylor: "Eagles have signed some quality players in the past 14 days, so it's going to be a tough game and we'll have to put in a performance.

"We didn't in the friendlies, but I'm confident we will on Sunday and then we'll see where we end up.

"There is nothing wrong with our quality, effort and attitude, but we need to be more consistent and to play with a bit of intelligence. If we can do that we won't be so far off."

Liam Thompson will have a scan later today on the back complaint that has troubled him for the past few weeks.