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by ROGER HALSTEAD
PROP Adam Robinson, who missed Friday's win at Rochdale because he
was under the weather with a heavy cold, trained normally this
(Saturday) morning and providing he suffers no adverse after-affects
he will be in the Oldham squad for Monday's first home league game
of the season against Hunslet Hawks at Boundary Park.
Coach Steve Deakin has confirmed also that Robinson's fellow prop
Warren Stevens and back-row man Chris Baines, who also sat out the
Rochdale game, will also be involved against the Hawks (3pm kick
off).
The players were in at 8.30am this morning. They reviewed the
Rochdale game in a video session, looked ahead to the Hunslet match
and then had a session on Noddy's Field to prepare themselves for
Monday.
They get Easter Sunday off to be with their families and to rest up,
but the side to play on Monday won't be announced until an hour or
so before kick off.
Said Deaks: "The medical staff were also in today (Sat) to check out
one or two players with bumps and bruises, but nobody was prevented
from training. We'll freshen things up again when we meet on Monday,
but the side won't be named until then."
It will be a nostalgic occasion for Deaks's No 2 Mark Cass, who
lives close to Hunslet's South Leeds Stadium and was head coach of
the Hawks for 18 months before crossing the Pennines to join the
Roughyeds as assistant coach at the start of this season.
Sentiment will be put on one side on Monday, however, when Cass will
play a big part in plotting the defeat of his hometown club and one
with which he had an association as player, assistant coach and then
head coach.
"My loyalties are with Oldham now," he said, "and I want us to do a
professional job on them, and win the game -- it's as simple as
that.
"I still have ambitions to be a head coach again and I think that's
important because you can't afford to stand still. As for now, Deaks
and I work well together and its a good partnership.
"We have a good bunch of players who have a strong work ethic and
everyone is expecting a good season. Promotion is the priority and
it's up to ourselves how we go about it, whether through winning the
title or going up via the play-offs.
"I want to play my part in that. I've got 400 games under by belt as
a player with Hull, Batley and Hunslet so I have a good idea of what
is required at this level."
Hunslet, now coached by Graeme Hallas, have recruited half-back Phil
Hasty from Rochdale, but they were off to a losing start in NL2,
going down 26-0 to Keighley Cougars at home on Friday.
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