Exclusive: Oldham aiming for Super League ‘within three years’

A couple of weeks ago, Oldham confirmed their 28-man squad for the upcoming League One campaign alongside newly appointed head coach Sean Long.

They have made many new signings within the squad to mark their new era led by managing director Mike Ford and head coach Long.

Jamie Ellis was one of Oldham’s many big signings and when speaking exclusively to Serious About Rugby League he explained what made him link up with the Roughyeds.

Ellis explained: “It’s exciting to be part of Oldham; they have moved back to Boundary Park, which was a massive factor, and the signings they were getting in the pipeline at the time and the directions they want to go, so yeah exciting to be part of it.”

Many predict that Oldham will push for promotion due to the quality of the squad, something Ellis also spoke about wanting to achieve at Oldham before incredibly explaining of their plans to reach the Super League in three years.

Ellis says: “Promotion is definitely what we want. It’s none negotiable the money that has been put into the club and the work that Mike Ford has done to put this squad together with the coach, promotion is something we need to achieve next season”.

Oldham has an IMG grade of C, which points them in League One; however Ellis believes that Oldham is heading in the right direction and could reap the benefits of IMG and their criteria.

He told SARL: “With Oldham and what they are doing now going back to Boundary Park and the stuff they’re doing off the field, it is pushing the top end Championship grading. I believe Oldham will be there and thereabouts in the next three years when it comes to the Super League.”

It would be no surprise to see Oldham troubling the Championship any time soon given that promotion and relegation between both the second and third tier remains the same, on a performance basis. Instead it’s just promotion to Super League that is based on the IMG gradings.

So with such an incredible squad it would appear that the off-field work such as the return to Boundary Park and the backing of Mike Ford will be incredibly important in the coming years, providing of course that Ellis can help guide the team back into the Championship.

He’ll be surrounded by plenty of talent in doing so with Oldham having built a team of Championship quality, and even with some Super League talent in it, for the upcoming campaign.

New faces include Leigh Leopards Challenge Cup winner Joe Wardle, former Kiwi international and Salford Red Devils captain Elijah Taylor, whilst there’s also young up and coming stars such as Wigan Warriors’ product Logan Astley who will be learning from Ellis.

The Roughyeds full squad can be seen below.

BACKS: Jamie Ellis, Jordan Turner, Mo Agoro, Nick Rawsthorne, Jack Johnson, Jordan Paga, Ben O’Keefe, Kian Morgan, Danny Craven, Logan Astley, Jumah Sambou, Kieran Tyrer, Mackenzie Turner, Cian Tyrer.

FORWARDS: Emmerson Whittel, Josh Johnson, Joe Wardle, George Hirst, Brad Gallagher, Jay Chapelhow, Pat Moran, Owen Farnworth, Adam Lawton, Bailey Aldridge, Craig Kopczak, Matty Wildie, Elijah Taylor, Brad Gallagher.