McNally is just the job for Oldham

Gregg McNally — straight into the Oldham squad

Loan swoop for young half-back

EXCITING young half-back Gregg McNally goes straight into the Oldham squad for the Hunslet Hawks test at the Whitebank Stadium on Sunday (3pm kick-off).

The 19-year-old Huddersfield Giants half-back has signed for the club on a month’s loan and Roughyeds coach Tony Benson hopes that McNally — rated as one of the hottest talents outside of Super League before moving to the Galpharm Stadium — can give his side impetus in the absence of injured playmaker Neil Roden.

“Gregg is an exciting young player,” said Benson, who watched the former Whitehaven player train with the squad for the first time last night.

“I am delighted that he is joining us to give us something extra in the halves. He has good hands and a good kicking game, and he is a crowd-pleaser because he knows how to score tries.

“He has also bulked up since he has been at Huddersfield and that has helped him in his defensive work.”

The prolific McNally, who now resides in Huddersfield, shot to fame as a raw 17-year-old, scoring a hat-trick for Whitehaven in a live televised game against Salford two seasons ago.

And last year he was top try scorer for the Cumbrian side in the Co-operative Championship, registering 25 touch downs in only 17 appearances.

He left to join Huddersfield on a full-time contract, where he has the number 28 shirt in his possession, returning to Whitehaven earlier this season for a month on loan.

McNally will also be available to play in matches away at Workington and home games against unbeaten Blackpool and Doncaster before his spell is up — a perfect tonic as Roden battles to get over a painful broken foot.

In his absence, hooker Danny Whitmore has been paired with Matty Ashe in the halves and Benson admits that was not an ideal situation.

“In the short-term Danny Whitmore stepped up for us for the good of the team and I want to record my thanks and appreciation to him for the good job he did in difficult circumstances,” Benson added.

“Danny is a hooker, not a half-back, but he answered my call and put the team’s needs before his own and that says a lot about him and a lot about the spirit within the Oldham camp.

“I thought he and Matty Ashe produced some good stuff together last Sunday against London Skolars.

“We always felt, however, that once Neil was out of the frame we needed a little bit extra at half-back. A lot of decision making has to take place among the halves and because of that you really need specialists in there.

“Gregg is a young fellow, but he has played all his rugby as a half-back and a lot of it with Whitehaven in the Championship.

“We have some tough games coming up and Gregg will give us what we need as a vital decision-making component of the team.”


WAYNE Kerr has escaped a ban and is clear to play against Hunslet.

The prop forward went in front of the RFL’s disciplinary committee last night charged with making a reckless tackle against York.

With Roughyeds chairman Chris Hamilton present in a supporting role, the Irish star was found guilty but the red card shown on the day was ruled a sufficient penalty.

Kerr was, however, given a formal warning as to his future conduct because of his previous record.

ROUGHYEDS reserves squad for Featherstone at the Whitebank Stadium tonight (8pm):

Coates, Hamilton, Knight, Williams, Brocklehurst, Ashton, Diveney, Kinney, Hatton, Mellor, Watkins, Ward, Smith, Cadd, Marsden, Fullalove, Knight, Joy.