Jigsaw not complete, says Roughyeds chairman

DESPITE competing for players against clubs with more financial clout, Oldham RL is putting in place an exciting squad for the new League One, say chairman Chris Hamilton and coach Scott Naylor.

“We’ve a couple of announcements still to make and two pieces still to put into the jigsaw,” revealed Hamilton.

Most of the players from last season have signed new deals, several of them having rejected approaches from other clubs.

George Tyson and Gareth Owen, who were full-time at Salford last year and only on loan to Oldham, are now full Roughyeds players, as are new boys Adam Neal, Jarrod Ward and Jack Holmes.

Including youngsters Jake Hughes, Tom Dempsey and Richard Joy, who have still to make senior debuts, the club has 21 players on contract for 2015.

Hamilton described how the club lifted itself off the canvas following the knock-out punch of a 17-16 extra-time defeat by Hunslet in the Championship One Grand Final.

He said: “I called a meeting with Scott and he thought he was going to get the bullet because he hadn’t delivered promotion - but I’m not that brave!

“With due respect to every player we’ve now signed, the most important signing was that of Scott, on a new three-year contract. I’m confident he and assistant boss Lee Spencer can carry us forward.”