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Batley boss Karl Harrison is considering dropping his ace winger for next month's Challenge Cup-tie - because he coaches the opposition!
Lee Greenwood, who played in Super League with London Broncos, Sheffield Eagles, Haifax and Huddersfield, is now plying his trade in the Championship with the Bulldogs but in his spare time coaches his old amateur team Siddal.
The 29-year-old Greenwood was elated when he guided the Halifax club to a record 26-0 win over Doncaster in the third round of the Cup last Saturday and his weekend got even better when he scored two tries in two minutes in Batley's 70-6 win over Leeds Met University 24 hours later.
But he was left "gutted" when the two teams were paired in the fourth-round draw, placing him in an awkward situation and creating a selection dilemma for Harrison.
Greenwood, whose full-time job is a sports co-ordinator at Calderdale College, was on his way home from training with Batley when he heard the draw on his car radio.
"Typical, wasn't it?" he said.
"I'm gutted. It's the worst possible draw for me and it's not a good one from the club's point of view either because they wanted a Super League team.
"When they got past six ties and neither side had come out, I thought it's going to happen.
"It could have happened in the third round - I breathed a huge sigh of relief then - or it could have happened last year when I was with Oldham.
"I suppose it was going to happen one day, with Siddal always getting through. I guess I will definitely still have an interest in the fifth round though!"
"It puts me in a very awkward situation. Perhaps I could go for a long drive, get away for the weekend."
Harrison, a former Great Britain international who coached in Super League with Salford, has every sympathy for his player but insists the interests of his club must come first.
"It's so uncanny," he said. "It's the worst possible draw for Lee. He's absolutely devastated. He wants to play in the game and he's been playing really well for us.
"He's a big part of our team but it gives me a dilemma. It's really difficult. I don't it's think happened before.
"We had a giggle over the phone after the draw was made but there are implications.
"I don't see how I can play him, to be honest, but I will sit down with the other coaching staff and Lee himself and talk about it.
"We'll do what's best for Batley and also for Lee, who is doing a great job at Siddal. To nil a professional club was a great result."
Awaiting the outcome of those talks with nervous anticipation is Paul McCormack, the Siddal chairman who is resigned to losing his coach in the long term but hopes he will be on board with his club for the April 18 Cup-tie.
"We hope he's on our touchline coaching us but Batley pay his wages," he said.
"He's a fabulous young coach. I don't think he will be with us much longer. When he finishes playing, he has a big future coaching in the professional game."
Meanwhile, Harrison has revealed that he had intended to leave Greenwood out of the side for Sunday's match because of his limited preparation time due to his involvement with Siddal but was forced to use him after a cruel twist of fate and the player responded with a quick demonstration of his scoring prowess.
"John Simpson broke his ankle in the warm-up," said Harrison.
"Lee was going to be our 18th man so I had to put him on the bench. I only gave him three minutes out on the field and he scored two tries."
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