Farrimond optimistic Rangers will have sting

Craig Farrimond

BUOYED by the return of two familiar faces and the signing of a player who helped Rochdale Hornets gain promotion last season, Saddleworth Rangers coach Craig Farrimond has high hopes for 2017.

After taking a year out, Ben Wood and Tom Robinson are back in the Rangers fold, while ex-Hornet Jake Shoel has found a new home at Shaw Hall Bank Road.

COUNTDOWN

Those three, plus burgeoning squads at second-team and under-18s level, has given Farrimond cause for optimism in the countdown to Saturday's National Conference League Division Two opener at recently promoted Drighlington.

"It's important to have competition for places and we've got that," said the former Oldham RL prop.

"We've got more options if players are missing because of suspension or injuries and we can also pick on form as well.

"Jake was released by Hornets at the end of last season, due to work commitments. He is a good friend of Ben Whitehead, one of our players here, and it was quite a coup that we managed to get hold of him."

Shoel, who played three times for Hornets in 2016, against Toulouse, Doncaster and Oxford, has already made an impact for Rangers.

The centre went in twice as Rangers were denied 24-18 by Rochdale Mayfield in the last four of the Standard Challenge Cup last week.

Shoel has family connections locally as he is the grandson of Ray Hill, former commercial manager at Oldham RL, Huddersfield and Salford.

Utility forward Wood and back-row man Robinson are both fully committed to helping Rangers achieve their goal, according to Farrimond.

Rangers will also have a new clubhouse, which is due to be officially opened on Friday week.

'MORALE'

Farrimond added: "Morale at the club is good and everyone is looking forward to a good season.

"To be honest, we let things slip last year so promotion is definitely the aim. Having a second team and under-18s will be a big help."

Sam Hart is one of a clutch of youngsters coming through and he will be on the bench for this weekend's first game.

Farrimond will have plenty of experience on tap, with Danny Attersall and Shane Tupaea, a former Rangers coach and Oldham RL player.

"Danny helps me a lot and Shane is extra pair of eyes on match days," he said.