Danny back in the old routine

IT’S great to be back says Danny Whitmore of his return to Whitebank after a year away with Championship club Batley Bulldogs.

He may be classed as a new Oldham signing, but Jason Boults apart there isn't a player in the squad with as much Roughyeds' experience.

He was a regular member of the side in 2010, 2011 and 2012 before he followed Miles Greenwood to the Bulldogs in the autumn of that year.

He hadn't been gone long when Scott Naylor and Lee Spencer, his former mentors at Salford, were installed as the new coaching duo at Whitebank.

Two months into the season, and looking for a half-back to partner Lewis Palfrey, they brought Whitmore back from Yorkshire on loan, but in the first few minutes of his second game he suffered a serious arm injury.

That was the last Roughyeds saw of him, but he remained on Naylor's radar. As soon as he was out of contract at Batley he was heading for Oldham again.

His liking for hooker and half-back will put him up against vice-captain Sam Gee, Hughes and Adam Files.

"We're all in it together and I'm sure we can have another good season," said 25-year-old Whitmore, who was the starting hooker in both pre-season games against Barrow and Swinton.

"We did particularly well in the second half of both those games and that was maybe down to how hard we've worked in pre-season.”