Gill gets cup all-clear

Castleford Tigers have done Oldham a big Challenge Cup favour by allowing Keiran Gill to play for them against Haydock in Saturday’s fourth-round tie at Bower Fold.

Neither his Tigers team mate Tuoyo Egodo nor the Salford Red Devils prop Liam Bent, who are on loan at Oldham, will be eligible.

Gill, also on loan, needed special dispensation from Cas because selection for Roughyeds this weekend will mean the 21-year-old outside back will be cup-tied and unable to play in subsequent rounds for his full-time employers.

Huddersfield Giants didn’t allow their dual-reg youngsters to play for Scott Naylor’s men in any of their three Challenge Cup ties last year against Kells, Hull KR and Warrington Wolves.

Gill didn’t arrive at Oldham until later in the season, but it’s rare for parent clubs to allow loan or dual-reg players to be cup-tied.

The deal with Salford Red Devils which brought Jordan Walne and 19-year-old Bent to Oldham on loan last week excluded cup-tie appearances even though they were coming for only a month.

The green light for Gill was a direct result of talks between Oldham chairman Chris Hamilton and Cas chief executive Steve Gill.

“I have a good relationship with Steve Gill, so I put the question to him – they didn’t want Tuoyo (Egodo) to play on Saturday, but they understood our situation and they had no problem with ‘Gilly’ turning out,” said Hamilton.

“We owe a big thank-you to Daryl Powell (head coach), Steve Gill and the Cas club.”