Oldham’s players in heart checks

OLDHAM RL Club’s 21 contracted players will, for the first time, undergo heart screening as part of a new initiative by the RFL.

Following the tragic death last season of Keighley Cougars’ half-back Danny Jones, who had a cardiac arrest during a game at London Skolars, rugby league’s governing body made cardiac screening compulsory in all three of the sport’s professional and semi-pro competitions.

Details of the plan to extend compulsory screening from First Utility Super League to the Kingstone Press Championship and KP League One were outlined at the RFL’s annual meeting last summer.

Cardiac screening has been compulsory for Super League players since 2012, but its now mandatory for clubs in each of the top three tiers of the sport.

The RFL is working in tandem with CRY (Cardiac Risks in the Young), a charity which offers help, support and counselling to affected families. Oldham’s players, and those from Rochdale Hornets, Swinton Lions and Leigh Centurions, will each be monitored by CRY at Spotland on Saturday morning.

Said Roughyeds chairman Chris Hamilton: “This is a huge step forward in terms of player welfare and one to which the RFL, the clubs and Lizzie Jones have given their full support and backing.”

Lizzie’s husband Danny, a Welsh international, collapsed and died from heart failure triggered by an undetected defect while playing for Keighley in a League One game at Skolars in May.

She attended the meeting in Leigh which approved the new moves on cardiac screening and said: “Anything the game can do to minimise the chance of another family experiencing what we’ve been through has to be welcomed.”