Roughyeds sign former Ram

LUKE Adamson has signed until the end of the season

OLDHAM have swooped to strengthen their pack with the capture of Dewsbury Rams' loose-forward Luke Adamson on a short-term contract to the end of the season.

The 29-year-old former Salford and Halifax back-row, one of the most experienced players in the Kingstone Press Championship, trained with his new team-mates last night and will be strongly fancied to be in the 17 for tomorrow's Summer Bash derby against Rochdale at Blackpool (2.30pm kick-off).

Born in Lowton, near Leigh, Adamson played 112 Super League games for Salford and then had a brief spell with Bath RU Club before returning to rugby league with Halifax, for whom he played 47 games in seasons 2013 and 2014.

He was in his third season at Dewsbury where he clocked up about 60 appearances before asking to be released from his contract after last Saturday's 52-10 loss at Featherstone.

"Things weren't working out for me and I just felt it would be right for me and the club if I moved on after two and a half years there," said Adamson.

"Dewsbury is a great club and I enjoyed my time there. I was also grateful that they didn't want to stand in my way.

"After that things moved pretty quickly and I was really pleased to sign for Oldham where I know a lot of the lads, and the coaches, from my eight years at Salford, who signed me initially from Leigh East.

"I've worked previously for Scott (coach, Naylor) and 'Spanner' (assistant, Lee Spencer) and I played alongside George Tyson, Jack Spencer, Adam Neal, Adam Clay and Gareth Owen when we were all at Salford as kids.

"I've played in the Championship a long time. It's a tough division and Oldham are doing well for a club that's only in its second season at that level."

Naylor wouldn't confirm Adamson's debut tomorrow, but when asked if he was in contention he replied: "Everybody is."

Everybody, that is, apart from the injured Craig Briscoe and Phil Joy.

Added the Roughyeds coach: "Luke and I go back a long way. He has loads of experience, something we've perhaps been missing a little bit in our middle unit.

"He's a good pro who's played the game at a high level, and that's just what we've been looking for.

"He can play anywhere in the pack and he knows most members of the team, which will help him to settle in quickly."

Turning to the game, Naylor said Hornets were the better side in the first half of the 26-26 draw at Rochdale when the derby rivals last met, but Oldham were the dominant outfit in the second half.

"We got ourselves into a winning position and then gave them a lifeline," he added. "To their credit, they grasped it. I'd like to think that if we get a substantial lead this time we'll get over the line."

Oldham (from): Lepori, Clay, Tyson, Grimshaw, Egodo, Leatherbarrow, Owen, Hughes, Neal, Langtree, Spencer, Gee, Ward, Burke, Bent, Turner, Chisholm, Hewitt, Thompson, Davies, Adamson plus dual-reg personnel.

Hornets (from): Riley, Penny, Holmes, Galbraith, Massam, Palfrey, Yates, Tahraoui, Maneely, Hand, Smith, Crowley, Middlehurst, Greenwood, Moran, Hadden, Case, Moores, Taira, Bennion.

Jack Holmes, Lewis Palfrey, Josh Crowley, Gary Middlehurst and Miles Greenwood will all be playing against former team-mates.