Dawn of a new era

TOUCH DOWN: new Australian signings Ged Roods (front, left), Jordan Galloway and Ben Clark receive a warm welcome from Oldham St Anne’s coaches Paul Deakin (back, left), Chris Deakin, Rick Healing and Rick Badby.

The amateur game has joined the rugby league summer revolution

Here KEVIN RICHARDSON looks ahead to the new season

Oldham St Anne’s

CHRIS Deakin, back at the helm of Oldham St Anne’s after five years away,is keeping a lid on expectations.

The 50-year-old enjoyed great success in his previous reign at Higginshaw Road — they captured the National Cup under his guidance in 2003 — but he says fans won’t see the best of his current side until they have gained more experience.

Saints open up the new National Conference League Division One campaign away at York Acorn, and Deakin said: “I’ll be happy with a place in the top five or six teams. In fact I’d be over the moon if we achieve that.

“We’ve got plenty of good young players, who will improve in time.

“Centre Dave Harris is probably our oldest player at 29. He is a good talker and will help the youngsters a lot.

“In terms of our preparation, we should be further down the line but, like most other clubs, we’ve been held up by the weather.

“Prior to a couple or three weeks ago, we had only one ball session under our belts.

“Saying that, we had a ball session the other night and it was like the middle of the season. The boys’ handling was really good.”

Deakin is delighted to be back on the touchline, and readily admits it was the prospect of training with a bit of heat of his back which tempted him to have another go.

He will be assisted by Rick Badby, Rick Healing and Paul Deakin.

Deakin said: “It was a big factor. I’m a bricklayer by trade and it was no fun at all in trying to combine work and coaching in winter.

“You would come home and get warm in front of the fire and then have to go out again in the cold.

“When Paul Green and Neil Flanagan approached me and they said that St Anne’s were joining the summer competition, I jumped at the chance.

“The enthusiasm is back and I feel like a 21-year-old on match-days, rather than someone who has just turned 50.”

The class of 2012 was boosted this week by the arrival of Ged Roods (hooker), Jordan Galloway (full-back) and Ben Clark (centre or loose forward) from Australia.

“They are from the Wauchope club in New South Wales,” said Deakin.

“They were recommended by Adam Marchment, who spent a season with us and plays for Wauchope.

“We’ve forged strong links with them. Rick Badby has been over there and one of our former committee men at St Anne’s, Harry Sherratt, lives nearby.”




Fitton Hill



FITTON Hill Bulldogs coach Mick Whaley can’t wait for the North-West Counties Men’s Open Summer League to get under way next month.



“I think we’ve played four games in 12 weeks,” said Whaley, who saw his side lose 50-6 at Leigh East in the NWCL last Saturday.

“I’m fed up with muddy pitches. It will make a nice change to play on a dry surface.

“There is also no set date for fixtures. We can do Friday nights or Sundays if both teams agree.

“That will be a big help as a few of my lads struggle to play Saturdays because of work.

“The flexibility with the fixtures might also help to attract more players.”

Bulldogs, who are in Division Five, open their campaign on April 21.




Next item: preview of the season for Saddleworth Rangers, Waterhead and Higginshaw