Rhoden’s Roughyeds deal

LUKE RHODEN has returned to Oldham to sign a two-year deal.

The 20-year-old Academy international, who played alongside some stellar names while growing up in the Wigan Warriors system, first came to the club in late July of last year and signed a short-term deal to the end of the season.

Rhoden had previously become disenchanted at Wigan and had been out of the sport for some time before securing his contract release. A tip-off from Roughyeds hooker Gary Sykes then saw him arrive at the club and a try-scoring debut for the reserves in a 32-20 defeat to Widnes at Sedgley Park on August 1 signposted his potential.

Roughyeds officials were keen to snap him up permanently and the quest was successful, meaning Rhoden will now spend the 2010 and 2011 seasons with Oldham.

“He had fallen out with the game after what happened at Wigan so this is something of a rebuilding process, although Luke has already shown enough technical knowledge, ability and commitment to be offered a professional contract,” said Roughyeds chairman Chris Hamilton of a physically imposing player who could turn out at centre or in the back row.

“We are delighted that he will now be with us for the next two years at least.”

A product of the famous Wigan St Pat’s junior section, Rhoden was promoted from Wigan Warriors’ under-16s to their under-18s Junior Academy squad in the summer of 2005.

In October that year he was a substitute in a Wigan side that beat Leeds Rhinos at Headingley in the Junior Academy Grand Final.

Joe Chandler, another new signing by Oldham for 2010, was in the Leeds team, while the Wigan line-up included the likes of Thomas Coyle, who was at Oldham last year, Oldhamers Lee Jewitt and Eamon O’Carroll, Sam Tomkins, now a Super League star, and Chris Ashton, who is making a name for himself with Northampton Saints in Rugby Union’s Guinness Premiership.