Aussie stars saddle up with Broncos

NEW home . . . Stalybridge Celtic’s Bower Fold

OLDHAM could face up to half a dozen Australian players with NRL experience in their opening Championship campaign against the London Broncos at Bower Fold on Sunday.

Going all out to regain their place in Super League, Broncos have spent heavily on 10 new players for 2016 – seven of whom were in a squad hammered 34-0 at Dewsbury in a warm-up game.

Heading the list of new boys is 26-year-old centre Nathan Stapleton, who played more than 60 first-grade games for Cronulla Sharks before joining Sydney Roosters.

Said coach Andrew Henderson: “He’s been on the NRL scene for a number of years and he’ll add real quality to our outside backs.”

Other new signings include prop Mark Ioane (24), who has signed on a two-year deal from St George Illawarra; Mark Offerdahl, a former Manly Sea Eagles junior, who played for USA in the 2013 World Cup; and Israel Eliab, a stand-off from Papua New Guinea, who has played three times for PNG.

Henderson said of Ioane, who made his debut at Dewsbury: “It’s rare that a Championship club can attract a player with Mark’s NRL experience.”

Commenting on his side’s heavy defeat at Dewsbury, the Broncos boss said: “We tried to play dry-weather football on a mudbath. In preparation for Oldham we’ll train this week on a heavy pitch.”


Oldham’s season ticket holders won’t be able to collect them at Whitebank until noon tomorrow due to a problem in printing. They will be available until 5pm tomorrow and then from 9am-5pm on Thursday and Friday.