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A chance to see most of the 2008 squad

9/ 1/2008

TWENTY of Oldham’s 24-man squad will be available for selection when the Roughyeds travel to Headingley to face Leeds Rhinos in Kevin Sinfield’s testimonial on Sunday.

Although Lee Wingfield, Lee Sanderson, Lucas Onyango and Richard Mervill will not be fit for several weeks, Adam Robinson and Tommy Grundy will be given a run in their return from injury.

The squad took part in a two-day training camp at Hopwood Hall last weekend, something which coach Steve Deakin believes will reap its reward.

He said: "The effort and commitment put in by the players over the two days was first class – it couldn’t have been better. The weather was kind and it enabled us to get down everything we had planned to do.

"It was an intensive camp, but we won’t see the benefits immediately. We are passing through an exhausting period for part-time players and it will take them time to get over it, but the benefits will be reaped later.

"There is no immediate let-up in sight, either, because we will follow up the camp by continuing to train full on this week and next week. We will lighten up a little bit in the week leading up to the Rochdale game because after that we are into the season proper.

"We will use the Leeds and Hull KR games, among other things, as conditioning games against full-time opposition. We will also be working on specifics because there is no better opportunity to put things into practice than in matches against quality opposition.

"Going back to the two-day camp, I must say that the quality and quantity of the work we did was spot-on. We got through about 14 to 15 hours of work over the Saturday and the Sunday and that represents more than a fortnight’s training in normal circumstances.

"There was general fatigue in the squad and we had some leg-weary players afterwards, but there were no knocks to worry about and that was a plus.

"The boys have worked hard over the past couple of months or so and they are looking forward now to using the next three weeks to top-up their preparations for the season proper."

A SUPPORTERS bus will go to Headingley on Sunday. It leaves the Social Club at 12.45pm and the Black Horse, Ripponden Road, at 1pm with bookings available on 0161 628 3677.