Workington Town’s opening League One opponents Oldham are set to get their best test this weekend to see how they will fare in League One this season.

The Roughyeds are preparing to take on fellow fancied League One outfit Newcastle Thunder at the Vestacare Stadium on Sunday – but they are going into the game with a few injury worries following their narrow loss to Swinton last weekend.

Richie Hawkyard, Luke Nelmes, Dave Hewitt and Danny Grimshaw are all facing fitness checks to see if they can take part in their side’s final pre-season encounter before they welcome Workington on February 17.

Grimshaw was included in the initial 19-man squad for the Swinton game, but was later withdrawn and replaced by in-form Zack McComb, who scored his fourth try in three games at Swinton to get his 2019 campaign off to a flying start.

Full-back Hawkyard scored an early try but he later required treatment and he didn’t resume for the second half. Hewitt played for about an hour with a thigh heavily strapped before he was also taken off.

Assistant coach Peter Carey said the injury substitutions were precautionary and also designed to give as many players as possible a run.

Coach Scott Naylor is also looking to give a home debut to new boy Adam Brook, a half-back who is on a season-long loan from Halifax.