OLDHAM players Jack Walker, Bayley Liu and Emmanuel Waine all turned out for Huddersfield Giants Reserves on Saturday – but the Yorkshire club’s coach Luke Robinson has played down suggestions that any of them could be signed permanently as he continues to deal with a spate of injuries.

The trio were involved after not being part of the Oldham party who flew to France for the Challenge Cup fourth-round meeting with Catalans Dragons, who won 58-0.

As well as fullback Walker and backrowers Liu, who recently joined Oldham from Halifax Panthers, and Waine, Huddersfield fielded Keighley Cougars’ Waldimar Matahwa and Sheffield Eagles’ Jayden Billy on the wings and another Keighley player, Will McCardle, at prop, in the 40-16 home defeat by Warrington Wolves’  second string at their Laund Hlll training base.

Later in the day, the depleted Giants first team lost 52-12 at home to Hull KR in the Challenge Cup while Keighley were beaten 56-10 at York Knights.

Matahwa, McCardle and Oldham secondrow Marcus Geener featured in Huddersfield’s previous 32-18 Reserve Championship defeat at Castleford Tigers.

Walker has previously played in Super League for Leeds, Hull FC, Hull KR and the old Salford Red Devils and Papua New Guinea international Waine for London Broncos and Salford

However Robinson explained: “There is a knockdown effect. When I’m pulling players from the Reserves and the Academy (into the first-team squad), then the Reserves are pulling Academy players and we have got a fair few younger lads injured as well.

“We’re very sparse on numbers at the moment so we’re just bringing players in who want and need some time on the pitch for themselves.”