Brooks gives Oldham boost ahead of Cup tie

Oldham RLFC crest

Adam Brook and Matty Wilkinson have been cleared to play after injury as Oldham RL Club gear-up for Sunday's cup-tie against Betfred League 1 leaders Whitehaven at the Vestacare Stadium (3pm).

With eight League 1 clubs and the 12 English-based Championship clubs taking part in this new 1895 Cup, Oldham and the seven other third-tier clubs who are setting out on the cup trail this weekend are only four games away from fulfilling a Wembley dream.

The final will be played as a double-header with the Coral Challenge Cup final on Saturday, August 24.

Anthony Bowman (broken ribs) and Aaron Jones-Bishop (knee) are Oldham's only casualties. 

Coach Scott Naylor will pick from 21 --- 16 of the 17 who helped Roughyeds to win 72-8 at West Wales Raiders last Saturday plus Phil Joy, Ben Calland, Brook, Wilkinson and Ben Davies.

The odd man out from last week is young on-loan prop Frazer Morris, who has gone back to Halifax.

Naylor will choose from these: Bent, Bridge, Brook, Calland, Crook, Davies, Greenwood, Gwaze, Hawkyard, Hewitt, Holmes, Johnson, Joy, Langtree, Law, Maders, McComb, Owen, Spencer, Whittel, Wilkinson.

Hooker Wilkinson has been out with concussion while half-back Brook comes back into the running after breaking a wrist in the win against London Skolars at the Vestacare Stadium on March 24.

Second-row man Danny Bridge is likely to make his first home appearance since last July after clearing a nine-month RFL suspension.

He was back in the big win at Llanelli last week and he looked as though he had never been away.

Said Naylor: "Everybody played well last week and all 17 of them put themselves in the shop window for the cup-tie.

"I've a few options, but that's what I want."

Of the new 1895 Cup competition he said: "It gives clubs outside Super League a realistic chance to get to Wembley and a chance to win a trophy. Clubs like to win trophies and this is an opportunity to do it."

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