Brand joins Roughyeds

CHRIS BRAND has become the latest member of the Oldham Roughyeds first-team squad.

The 27-year-old, formerly of Swinton and Blackpool but with a predominantly rugby union background, requested the opportunity to show what he could do in training on a trial basis several weeks ago.

Now, having sufficiently impressed coach Tony Benson, Brand has signed a one-year deal.

“My first reaction was to tell him ‘no’, but he made it abundantly clear that he had come for the right reasons and that money wasn’t one of them,” said Benson of Brand’s request to link up with a Roughyeds squad that now numbers 23 players.

“He impressed me with his attitude and he impressed me even more with what he did in training over many weeks.

“We were initially planning to trial him in a match, but I could see in training that he had what it takes. He is a good athlete, strong and quick, and he is skilful and quick to learn. He also gives 100-per-cent to everything he does.

“I am confident Chris will be a more-than-useful member of the squad, even though I have only ever seen him in training.”

Though he played 20 times for Blackpool in 2007 and five times for Swinton in 2008, Brand has mainly played rugby union with Orrell and Waterloo.

He was at Orrell from the age of 10 and he went on to play professionally for both of these RU clubs, turning out in the same Orrell team as ex-Wigan RL men Simon Haughton (who later came to Oldham), Phil Jones and John Whittle.

“Chris is a relative newcomer to rugby league despite his spells with Blackpool and Swinton,” said Roughyeds chairman Chris Hamilton.

“His last club was Waterloo, but he was keen to get back into league.

“Over several weeks he impressed Tony sufficiently for us to sign him on a more permanent arrangement. The rest is up to Chris.”

Benson is hopeful that the scheduled Law Cup clash with Hornets RL at Spotland on Sunday (3pm kick-off) goes ahead despite the forecast cold snap, in order to give his men some much-needed time on the field.

“We’ve not touched a ball for three weeks because the weather has forced us indoors to concentrate on fitness work,” said Benson, whose side also have warm-up matches at Whitehaven and Batley.

“With so many new boys in the squad I will need as much pre-season practice as possible to look at different combinations, to see how the new players perform in game situations, and to look at how we replicate what we have been doing in training in the heat of battle.”