Tricky start should suit Roughyeds

OLDHAM Roughyeds chairman Chris Hamilton hopes a difficult draw in the Northern Rail Cup will aid the club’s preparations for the league season that follows it in 2011.

Newly-promoted Hunslet, Co-operative Championship grand final winners Halifax, big-spending Championship One hopefuls Swinton and relegated Cumbrian side Whitehaven do battle with the Roughyeds in Pool B fixtures.

Of those games, Hunslet — the season-opener — and Whitehaven will be staged at the Whitebank Stadium, the club's home from the start of a campaign for the very first time.

The remaining clubs in the same section of the Northern Rail Cup are Batley, Leigh, Gateshead, Sheffield and Workington, with only the four with the best overall records making it through to the unseeded draw for the quarter-finals.

Toulouse are stationed in Pool A, which includes all the rest of the professional clubs outside of Super League bar South Wales Scorpions.

"We have been given a tough start to the season with the Northern Rail Cup, there is no doubt about it," said Hamilton.

"But then again, an easier run of games could adversely affect our preparation for the league season.

"So it is not necessarily a bad thing. We will be focused and ready to go."

The league campaign starts with a match against Gateshead and features a rare home Good Friday clash with derby rivals Rochdale Hornets, while the game against London Skolars at The Stoop forms the second leg of a double-header featuring Harlequins RL's home match against Wigan.

Swinton, who hope to rival the Roughyeds for promotion, take on Oldham at their new home of The Willows on the last Friday in May.

And a pair of extra league games against South Wales (home) and Workington (away) fill the gap left by the folded Blackpool club.

Along with head coach Tony Benson, Hamilton is bidding to put together a squad which can hopefully bypass the play-offs altogether to pick up the sole automatic promotion slot in Championship One.

And he is keen to bring in further players.

"We are still two or three light but hopefully there will be movement on that in the coming days," Hamilton added.

"The players we have brought in are working hard and we are already a long way ahead of where we were at this stage last season.

"We are happy with what we have at the moment. The players we have brought in have a good pedigree and a lot are local lads as well.

"They will bring with them that extra motivation, pride and commitment."

A number of players from last season have yet to commit their futures to the club for 2011, including Neil Roden — linked with a move to Keighley — Paul O'Connor, Wayne Kerr and Mick Fogerty, all of whom started the 25-4 play-off final defeat to York.



Fixtures 2011


February

Northern Rail Cup

6 HUNSLET

13 Halifax

20 Swinton

27 WHITEHAVEN


The Co-operative

Championship One

March

13 Gateshead

20 Workington

27 SWINTON



April

3 Keighley

17 LONDON SKOLARS

22 ROCHDALE HORNETS

25 Whitehaven



May

1 Doncaster

15 South Wales

27 Swinton (8pm)



June

5 Doncaster

12 SOUTH WALES

26 Gateshead



July

3 WHITEHAVEN

9 London Skolars (5pm, The Stoop)

24 KEIGHLEY

31 WORKINGTON



August

14 Rochdale Hornets

21 SOUTH WALES



September

4 Workington



3pm kick-off unless stated.



Note: These fixtures remain the copyright of the RFL. They must not be

reproduced except by written consent.