Oldham are set to give a debut to cage fighter Jamie Acton in their Challenge Cup clash against St Helens at Langtree Park on Friday.
Acton, 19, has been called up following the loss through injury of regular second-row pair Paul Noone and Paul Smith.
Kenyan winger Lucas Onyango has also failed a fitness test and coach Tony Benson has decided not to risk 36-year-old stand-off Graham Holroyd after he picked up an ankle knock on debut at London Skolars on Sunday.
The Roughyeds, the only Championship One team left in the last 16, were forced to forfeit home advantage, but Benson says his players will relish the challenge.
"Some of them will never get to do it again," he said. "It means the world to a lot of them.
"The Challenge Cup is a pretty special trophy and just to be part of the mix coming into the last 16 is fantastic for a club like ours. With the financial situation at the moment, that's important too.
"We know we're in for a big game and we're going to have to play extremely well, be as competitive as we can and the result will look after itself."
Miles Greenwood, Liam Gilchrist and Mark McCully are ex-Saints players coming up against their old club, who are without Australian prop Anthony Laffranchi but are otherwise close to full strength.
Tommy Makinson returns in place of teenage winger Adam Swift and coach Mike Rush is poised to give debuts to youngsters Anthony Walker and Joe Greenwood.
"We had people watching at the weekend and we know a little bit about them," said Rush.
"They aren't going to lie down. We'll show them the respect they deserve."
