Crowley’s show of loyalty to Oldham

OLDHAM have beaten off strong interest from derby rivals Rochdale Hornets to re-sign Josh Crowley for next season.

Having played in every game across his two seasons at Whitebank, Crowley has signed a new one-year contract to kick-start the club’s squad-building operation for the new 14-club Kingstone Press League One.

With 20 Oldham tries in 49 games overall, his decision to reject other offers and to stick with the club that rescued his career in 2012 will be warmly welcomed by the Whitebank faithful.

Of the clubs that courted him, Rochdale led the pack. Crowley (23) said: “Other clubs were interested, but I like playing for Oldham and, after all, they saved my career when Widnes released me.

“Once at Oldham and working for Scott Naylor)I quickly regained my appetite for the sport. You never forget things like that.

“From a position in which I was going to turn my back on rugby, I’m now thinking I still might get back into Super League one day, and I owe all that to Oldham.

“Next season is going to be tough, but we’ll have more games and fewer blank Sundays and that will suit me fine.”

Naylor said Crowley had been one of the club’s best and most consistent players over the last two seasons: “He gets better and better and I don’t think he appreciates just how good he can be. The future looks good for him. I’m really pleased he has decided to stay.”

Club bosses have expressed disappointment that Agoro signed for Grand Final opponents Hunslet Hawks on the big day at Headingley when he was in the Roughyeds’ party.

Naylor said: “It was a surprise to us to learn that Mo had left. He clearly wanted to play in a higher division, but it would have been nice to have had the opportunity to convince him that he would be better off staying with us.”

FROM next season, all three professional divisions will have a uniform points system — two for a win and one for a draw. Bonus points in the two Championship divisions, earned by teams which lost by 12 points or fewer, have been scrapped.