Jack’s the lad for Roughyeds

OLDHAM’S capture of young guns from Super League continued today with the signing of former St Helens centre Jack Bradbury.

The 20-year-old ex-Saddleworth Rangers junior star is Oldham’s fifth new signing of the off-season and the third to arrive at the Whitebank Stadium straight from a rugby league apprenticeship at the highest level.

Prop Liam Gilchrist (21) came from St Helens; back-row man Ben Wood, also 21, signed from Salford City Reds; now Bradbury follows Gilchrist from Saints, having spent four years learning his trade at one of the biggest clubs in the country.

Roughyeds coach Tony Benson said: “I’ve been monitoring Jack since the end of last season when I got a tip from Saints that he would be available.

“He was being courted by other Super League clubs, but at this stage of his development as a player he decided we could offer him the better pathway to where he wants to go.

“He harboured the dream at Saints, but sometimes matters are taken out of your hands. They have been going overseas for centres in recent times and that made it extremely tough for a young bloke like Jack to break through.

“He will be a great addition to the Oldham squad and I am absolutely certain that he has what it takes to eventually get back into Super League.”

Bradbury left Saddleworth at the age of 16 to join Saints on a three-year professional contract and when that expired he was offered a new one-year deal to go full time. It was a measure of the regard in which he was held at Knowsley Road that he was quickly promoted to the senior squad.

Ultimately, his dream of breaking through into the big time ended in disappointment, but he is determined to be back in Super League with another club before he is much older.

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats were interested, but instead of moving to Yorkshire he has decided to put himself in the shop window with his hometown club.

“I was disappointed in how it all ended for me at Saints,” he said. “But I have to move on and I am looking forward to the experience of playing for my hometown team.”

Having been a full-time pro at St Helens for the past 12 months, Bradbury is looking for a job in sport or leisure, disciplines he studied at college during the three years he was on part-time duties at Knowsley Road.

He joins an ever-growing band of Oldham-born players at the Whitebank Stadium, many of whom have been connected to Super League clubs in the past, such as Danny Whitmore, Alistair Williams, Michael Diveney, Ben Wood and Matthew Fogarty.