Waiting game over new format for trio

WITH no official announcement yet over the potential restructuring of the Betfred Championship and League 1, it’s business as usual for the teams likely to be impacted by the changes this weekend.

Swinton and Rochdale face off at Heywood Road in what is likely to be one of the most fiercely-contested local derbies of recent times.

It is thought the RFL are considering revamping the two tiers of the professional game below Super League, which would reduce the number of sides relegated from the Championship from two to one.

The Lions and Hornets occupy the bottom two places and have the same number of points, but Alan Kilshaw’s side sit bottom on points difference. The winner of Sunday’s clash will likely secure their safety in the event of any restructure.

And in League 1, Oldham will stand a far better chance of promotion if the proposals see the number of teams promoted increased from two to three, as has been mooted.

With 15 minutes remaining of their fixture at Newcastle last time out, Roughyeds sat comfortably in third position, but let an 18-6 lead turn into a 24-18 defeat and now find themselves in fifth meaning they will likely need to earn something from the upcoming matches against the league’s top two sides, York and Bradford.

Assistant boss Pete Carey - in charge of the club’s matchday operations during Scott Naylor’s suspension said: “We’ve put ourselves under a lot of pressure, but we’re still up for it. “We can still do it.” This weekend, Oldham welcome Coventry Bears to the Vestacare Stadium and will be confident of securing a victory.