Roughyeds confirm dual-reg partners

A youthful Warriors side were 28-16 winners at Boundary Park in a friendly on Sunday. Image courtesy of ORLFC

Oldham can confirm dual-registration agreements with both Super League champions Wigan and League 1 Rochdale for the 2025 season. 

Teaming up with Wigan represents the consolidation of a partnership that has already seen talented young forward George Hirst move from the Roughyeds to the World Club champions, with the player set to immediately rejoin Oldham for the start of the Championship campaign. 

A youthful Warriors side were also 28-16 winners at Boundary Park in a friendly on Sunday. 

A further agreement with Rochdale - who were narrowly beaten 16-14 in Wednesday night's Law Cup clash between the two clubs, affords head coach Sean Long another option to make use of players in either direction.

"For us it offers the best possible chance of having a competitive squad through what we expect to be a very demanding season," Oldham managing director Mike Ford told Roughyeds TV.

"Wigan was a conversation we had as part of George Hirst moving.

"Me and Sean spoke with Kris Radlinski and Matt Peet and wanted that partnership extending to players.

"They have a lot of good young players - as we saw in their win over us at Boundary Park on Sunday - who need better quality rugby than the reserves.

"So that is something for us that is there should we feel we want to dip into it during a relentless Championship season.

"The other way with Rochdale is good if we manage to keep a healthy squad here - they will need game-time too, so this partnership would allow Rochdale a look at some of our players, give them minutes and strengthen their squad with that too."

Ford points to the successful short-term acquisition last season of prop Adam Sidlow from 2024 dual-registration partners Salford as an example of why such arrangements are so important.

The veteran forward made a huge impact in Oldham's League 1 title win, at a time when he was struggling for minutes in Super League on his return from injury. 

Ford added: "We saw when we got Adam Sidlow from Salford last year, sometimes there is a big-name Super League player needing some games at a time where we need extra bodies too."

Oldham play their third match in seven days tomorrow (Sunday), when Rochdale Mayfield are the visitors to Boundary Park in the Betfred Challenge Cup (12:30pm kick-off). 

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