Spencer takes up Oldham option

Jack Spencer

JACK Spencer has followed his fellow front-row forward Phil Joy in signing a new one-year contract with Oldham RL Club.

In Spencer's case he takes up an option for 2017 that formed part of his first agreement with the club covering this season.

Said head coach Scott Naylor: "I'm really pleased Jack will be with us again next year. He's got everything he needs to play at the highest level.

"He's been very unlucky with injuries this year but, hopefully, he'll be able to show us in 2017 what a top-class, quality forward he is."

Spencer (25) played in the first 13 games of the season, which included wins against Dewsbury Rams, Batley Bulldogs, Sheffield Eagles, Hull KR (Ladbrokes Challenge Cup) and Featherstone Rovers, a game in which he broke a bone in a hand.

RETURNED

He was out for several weeks and in his first game back he suffered a shoulder injury which again sidelined him for a few weeks before he returned on the bench in Sunday's impressive 30-8 win at Swinton.

The son of assistant coach Lee Spencer, he has played in 15 of this season's 28 games in all competitions, but he will be hoping to have better luck over the last few weeks of the season and make up for lost time in the five remaining games against Sheffield Eagles and Whitehaven at home and Bradford Bulls, Halifax and Dewsbury Rams away.

Asked if his shoulder had come through the big test in his first game for several weeks at Heywood Road, the former Salford, Barrow, Halifax and Villeneuve (France) forward said: "It did . . . but I'm not so sure about my lungs !"

Roughyeds now have three players on contract for next year ­- Joy, Spencer and Danny Langtree, who still has a season to run on a two-year agreement.

* Tickets for the Hull v Warrington Challenge Cup final at Wembley on Saturday, August 27 are available at half-price (£35 tickets for £17.50 and £25 concessionary ticket for £12.50) from Oldham RL Club's office at Whitebank. (9.30am to 1.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday; 9.30am to 3pm Wednesday; 9.30am to 4pm Friday).