Brotherton joins Roughyeds ranks

GIFTED TRIO . . . dual registration new boy Dan Brotherton (left) and loan signings Anthony Bowman (centre) and Jon Ford.

OLDHAM are likely to have two new boys in the team on Sunday – Anthony Bowman from Halifax and Dan Brotherton from Salford.

The Roughyeds last night completed the month-long loan signings of 21-year-old Bowman, a loose-forward or half-back, and 19-year-old Jon Ford, a centre who has already played five games for Scott Naylor's side on dual registration from Salford City Reds.

They also brought in dual-registerd 21-year-old Brotherton, a fast, 6ft 5in winger.

Naylor had planned to recruit two dual-reg men from his former club, but the City Reds had second thoughts on one of them.

Brotherton links once more with Naylor's number two Lee Spencer, who last season coached Salford's reserve team to runner-up place in a division for Super League second teams.

A convert from rugby union in the East Midlands, Brotherton was top try-scorer for Spencer's team after spells with St Helens and Wakefield.

Mo Agoro's ankle injury looks certain to keep the winger out of Sunday's tough test against South Wales Scorpions in Neath (3pm kick-off). But in Brotherton the Roughyeds now appear to have a ready-made replacement.

The team won't be finalised until tomorrow, but Roughyeds have confirmed that Bowman, Ford and Brotherton will all be up for selection, as will centre David Cookson, who was unavailable last week.