Menzies feeling better than ever

LUKE Menzies (right) does battle for Oldham against home-town club Batley.

LUKE Menzies isn't worried about stepping outside the Super League spotlight.

The 20-year-old had two separate loan spells with the Roughyeds last year, making 12 appearances and scoring a single try before the season ended in a double disappointment.

Not only was the former Batley prop part of the Oldham side beaten 18-10 in the National League Two play-off final by Doncaster, he was also released from his full-time contract with top-flight club Hull KR.

Now, having signed a permanent one-year deal to play for the Roughyeds in 2009, the gruelling but rewarding training regime means Menzies is feeling better than ever.

"I needed to take a step back to hopefully go forwards and now I just have to work as hard as I possibly can to get where I want to be," he said.

"The main goal right now is to have a really good and successful year with Oldham and we have been preparing well.

"The Saturday morning sessions have been the toughest and it has been mental as well as physically difficult. We have been pushed well beyond what we are normally used to and it has led to a few people bringing back up their breakfast!

"But I am loving it. I am enjoying it now more than I was when I was full-time. The benefits of what Tony (Benson) and Martin (Roden, the club conditioner and sports scientist) have brought to training have made me feel stronger, fitter and fresher than I was last year."

Menzies will have his work cut out to make it into the starting line-up within a new look squad that is packed with seven props.

But, having settled in well at the club ever since making his debut off the bench against Rochdale in April last season, he hopes that his hard graft behind the scenes will pay off.

"As soon as I came here last year the lads made me feel right at home," he added.

"We had quality players last year and we have added to that for next season.

"In the front row there is plenty of experience with people like Paul Highton and Richard Mervill and even someone like Jamie I'Anson (who is 21) has played a lot of first-team games.

"Nobody can afford to be over confident of a place in the side and only the players that are in form at the top of their game will make the team.

"Every session I am giving all I can and hopefully Tony will take into consideration the effort I am putting in."

Benson spoke of his aims for the Roughyeds in last week's lunch for the members of the club's Five Alive lottery.

The former Junior Kiwis coach talked about the importance he places on the pre-season programme in readying his squad for the coming Northern Rail Cup and Co-operative Championship 1 campaigns.

"Supreme physical fitness is a must," Benson said.

"We are working really hard in our pre-season. I insist at all times on good physical fitness and our aim is to work so hard over the next few weeks that we kick off as one of the fittest teams, if not the fittest team, in the competition."