Ex-Oldham hero joins Benson at Oxford

MARTIN Roden, hooker and a key member of Oldham RL Club's backroom staff for the past four years, has followed Tony Benson to new club Oxford.

Roden was in charge at Whitebank for the final four games of last season, following Benson's sacking, but was not retained by the New Zealander's successor, Scott Naylor, who appointed his own No. 2 in Lee Spencer.

Benson now heads a five-man full-time backroom team at Oxford.

Roden, who will also play, said: "Rugby league is in my blood; I'm looking forward to being part of something historic in Oxford."

He becomes the sixth member of last season's Roughyeds' personnel to join the Championship One new boys, alongside head coach Benson and forwards Valu Bentley, David Ellison, Alex Thompson and John Clough.



OLDHAMER Kevin Sinfield, the Leeds and England captain, has become the fourth Englishman to win the prestigious Golden Boot.

The 32 year old beat competition from Wigan’s Sam Tomkins, the 2012 Man of Steel, and Australians Cameron Smith, Ben Barba, Cooper Cronk and Nate Myles to lift the prize, awarded annually to the game's greatest player by Rugby League World magazine.