Oldham have made a huge statement of intent with the signing of Gil Dudson from Warrington Wolves ahead the 2025 campaign. The Greater Manchester outfit have secured the League One title and promotion to the Championship after finishing the season seven points clear of their closest rivals Keighley Cougars.
The club will be eager to build on this season’s triumph then and it seems they are going the right way about it with the signing of Dudson secured. The forward, who has spent the season on loan at Salford Red Devils from Warrington, will see his Super League contract expire at the end of the season.
However, he has secured his future with a two-year deal with the Roughyeds, with the club announcing his signing as their ‘first big name recruit’. Dudson has spent almost his entire career to date in Super League, with Crusaders, Wigan Warriors, Widnes Vikings and Catalans Dragons among his former clubs.
However, he will be stepping down to the second tier in the off-season and he’s keen to take on the challenge.
“I’m really excited, Oldham have absolutely killed it this year by winning the league three or four games early. I’m really looking forward to the move and getting involved with all the lads,” Dudson said, per Roughyeds TV.
“I’m enjoying myself in Super League and had opportunities to stay there but once I had met with (managing director) Mike Ford and Longy (Sean Long) they sold me the vision on Oldham.
“I started off playing in League One with South Wales Scorpions, that was my entrance into rugby league. There was something that excited me about the opportunity of coming down and helping grow and build something in this journey that they want to go on – I want to be a part of that.”
Dudson has teased that more top flight players could be set to make the move to Boundary Park for next season, too.
“The intent is clear in some of the other players who have signed and will be announced shortly – they are really good quality Super League players who could still be playing Super League, so I think we could be a bit of a force to be reckoned with next year and I’m really looking forward to that challenge,” he added.
