Sob story cuts no ice with Naylor

BEWARE a wounded Ram.

That's Scott Naylor's warning to his Oldham RL squad ahead of Sunday's clash with injury-hit Dewsbury Rams, the only Championship side still without a win.

They come to Bower Fold (3pm kick-off), having scored only 14 points in defeats by Rochdale, Swinton Lions, Toulouse Olympique and London Broncos.

Out injured are Josh Guzdek, Aaron Brown, Dominic Speakman, Jack Teanby and the latest victim, Toby Adamson, who dislocated an elbow against London last week.

In the past couple of weeks they've signed former Batley Bulldogs winger Alex Brown, who will probably make his debut on Sunday, as well as local amateur Liam Coe and prop Daniel Igbinedon on a month's loan from Castleford..

They're also hoping to have dual-reg players from Wakefield Trinity in their ranks this weekend.

Coach Glenn Morrison told the Dewsbury Reporter: "We're calling in favours left, right and centre."

His Roughyeds counterpart Scott Naylor dismisses these Dewsbury sob stories, however, and says: "We'll have to be at our best to beat them.

"They've got injuries, but they'll come with dual-reg lads, loan players and experience all over the field.

"They'll be desperate to get their first win and a desperate team is a dangerous team.

"We need a big response after last week's heavy defeat at Hull KR."

For the second successive game, there will be no dual-reg boys in the Roughyeds squad, but it will be strengthened by the inclusion of George Tyson and Richard Lepori for the first time this season and forwards Liam Thompson and Ben Davies for only the second time.

Davies, a close-season signing from Whitehaven, will be making his home debut.

Danny Grimshaw suffered a head injury at Hull KR, but he is expected to be available for selection after observing, over the last few days, all the usual protocol required for victims of concussion and similar injuries.

Naylor will select from the 17 who played at Hull KR plus Tyson, Lepori and Jamel Chisholm, who was 18th man last week.

After two narrow defeats by Featherstone and London Broncos, Oldham can't afford to slip up in this one. There are no points for 'nearly men' and Roughyeds need to make home advantage count to avoid being dragged into the lower reaches of the division and to go into next week's derby at Rochdale on a high.