New-boy Haggarty looking up

OLDHAM’S new loan prop Matthew Haggarty wants to be around long enough to help Roughyeds to win promotion.

The 22 year old has signed for a month but is banking on doing enough in that time to encourage Oldham to get an extension from his club, Barrow Raiders.

The big front-row man wore an Oldham jersey in the 22-4 win at Oxford and is expected to make his Whitebank debut in Sunday’s clash with South Wales Scorpions.

Nathan Mason, the 19-year-old Huddersfield Giants prop at Oldham on loan is also fancied to turn out for the first time at Whitebank.

Haggarty said: “I’d like to stay longer than the initial month, perhaps to the end of the season.

“I know a lot of the Oldham boys from my days at Salford. It was like a home from home in the Oldham dressing room on Sunday!”

He added: “I don’t think staying in this division is an option. A lot will obviously depend on our Whitebank clash with North Wales on July 28, but I think we have enough to turn them over.”

Three Roughyeds players, Dale Bloomfield (wing), Phil Joy (prop) and Josh Crowley (second-row) are in this week’s Premier Sports Championship One all-stars team on the strength of their outstanding performances at Oxford.