George Hirst

[Roughyed Rats]

According to the club, he's joined Wigan on a 2-year deal - loaned back to Oldham for 2025.

Inevitable that he would get picked up, so just glad we've got him for next season again. Great opportunity for George and thoroughly well deserved.

[jroyales]

So it goes on! Our brightest players get snapped up by the big clubs.

Irrespective of the glamour of Wigan - it should be the glamour of Oldham.

Who next???

[BIFFO61]

09/10/2024

Club News | Team News

Oldham have agreed a deal with Super League giants Wigan that will see Roughyeds forward George Hirst join the Warriors on a two-year deal but play on for Oldham on loan in 2025.

The exciting 23-year-old will spend the full pre-season with the World Club Champions but is then expected to be available for Oldham's Betfred Championship campaign.

As part of the discussions Oldham and Wigan have also agreed a mouth-watering friendly which will see the Roughyeds host the Super League champions at Boundary Park in the New Year.

Speaking exclusively to Roughyeds TV, Hirst says his heart is with Oldham but Wigan is an unexpected opportunity that he just cannot turn down.

"Leaving Oldham is not something I had planned on doing and I would have been more than happy to stay," said Hirst.

"This year has been the most I have enjoyed my rugby in years and Oldham is a brilliant place to be at the moment. But with a club like Wigan something like this doesn't roll around too often, it is a once in a blue moon opportunity that if I turned down I would be beating myself up about. This is probably a sign of how well Oldham are doing that Wigan are coming in and wanting to sign me."

Oldham managing director Mike Ford says that while disappointing for the team, the move underlines the incredible strides forward being made by the club as a whole.

"We are excited that after a full Super League pre-season we will be getting the best version yet of George Hirst next year. The deal is that he will train with them in pre-season but will likely be loaned back to us to play for Oldham in the 2025 Betfred Championship season.

We are obviously disappointed to lose one of our brightest talents but at the same time delighted with this recognition of both George's potential and the work that we have done at Oldham in such a short time to develop the stars of the future.

While our goal at Oldham is to develop a club and pathway system that will in future keep hold of our brightest young talent, the reality is that we are not quite there yet and we value George too highly to stand in the way of him fulfilling his dreams.

Of course we want George to stay but it is testament to our progress as a club that the rugby league world is now taking notice of Oldham again. That is a huge credit to what everyone at the club have achieved in such a short space of time.

We are very happy to have the option to keep George on loan as we step up to the Championship next year, safe in the knowledge that we will be well recompensed by Wigan if he is needed by the Warriors next year. We look forward to working closely with Wigan as George continues to progress as a player."

The terms of the deal will see Oldham benefit financially for any appearances Hirst makes for Wigan, and the player is keen to add his own personal thanks to the passionate Roughyeds fans who have played a massive part in his development as a player.

"I love the fans and even have my own chant at Boundary Park now. Rugby doesn't work without the fans and our fans are awesome, they make everything a lot easier for us on the pitch knowing we have that kind of support.

"I've never played in the Championship and even that will be a big step up so having a full pre-season in Super League will do me good, and hopefully I will come back to Oldham ten times the player which is really exciting."

[Bert Street]

Good luck to him. A sign we are doing things right. A good deal for all parties.

[Happyed]

Sounds like a great deal for all concerned. Well done fordy and best of luck George 

[Roughyed Rats]

22 minutes ago, jroyales said:

So it goes on! Our brightest players get snapped up by the big clubs.

Irrespective of the glamour of Wigan - it should be the glamour of Oldham.

Who next???

And so it's always been (for the last 70 years at least). Until we are up there in the top flight, it will continue thus.

[shrewsbury roughyed]

The lad has earned his chance at the big time. Improved beyond expectation last season. And he’s saying all the right things about Oldham. I think, assuming he okays most games for us next season, given that he’ll want to impress and progress at Wigan he’ll be even better for us and a big success in the Championship.

[tandle]

i think some wigan players will be casting their eyes on oldham.

by the way should we be getting a transfer fee.

[shaw llewellyn]

I thought he looked good when he first signed for us and he has improved massively since.

Credit to whoever spotted him in the first place and to those that have helped him develop.

Hope he does play a lot of games for us next year but whatever happens I wish him well.

[shaw llewellyn]

I just worry slightly when words like "expected" and "likely" are used regarding him coming back on loan.

[m brooksy]

Gutted but fully deserved move for George. Been brilliant ever since getting a chance last season and has come on leaps and bounds this season improving in all areas of his game. Hope we do get him back on loan next season as Super League is still a hell of a jump from league One.

[Stevos Barber]

A good deal all round. Good move for George, we have him for next season and Wigan get to play a top team before they take on Penrith. 

[RoughyedsFan_merged]

17 minutes ago, Stevos Barber said:

A good deal all round. Good move for George, we have him for next season and Wigan get to play a top team before they take on Penrith. 

Wigan aren’t playing Penrith, but they’ll be in Vegas during pre-season. It’ll be a reserve side playing at Boundary Park.

[bigred]

Letting your best prospect go for no guaranteed fee and replacing him with players coming to the end of their careers doesn't seem good business to me. 

Just signals lack of ambition 

[tandle]

wigan will play warrington at the allegiant stadium las vagas.

on the sat. 1st of march 2025. kick off 9-30 pm uk time.

the game will be a wigan  warrington rouund 3 home game.

when does oldhams season kick off. 

[Happyed]

21 minutes ago, bigred said:

Letting your best prospect go for no guaranteed fee and replacing him with players coming to the end of their careers doesn't seem good business to me. 

Just signals lack of ambition 

You may disagree with the strategy but nobody can accuse this board of a “lack of ambition”!

personally I think the strategy of signing experienced top pros is right for championship rugby and has worked for the top teams over the last few seasons

[E Stand]

Hirst joins a very select list of Oldham forwards moving to Wigan  - Andy Goodway, Barrie McDermott, and, way back, Bob Irving and Geoff Fletcher. 

It's seriously disappointing given Ford's avowed aim of attracting and keeping our talent in Oldham. Minimum should have been a substantial transfer fee.

Hope Hirst keeps improving and becomes a top player. 

[tandle]

should have been £ 250.000. he was on contract for 2025.

balls to the friendly. 

[philipw]

19 minutes ago, E Stand said:

Hirst joins a very select list of Oldham forwards moving to Wigan  - Andy Goodway, Barrie McDermott, and, way back, Bob Irving and Geoff Fletcher. 

It's seriously disappointing given Ford's avowed aim of attracting and keeping our talent in Oldham. Minimum should have been a substantial transfer fee.

Hope Hirst keeps improving and becomes a top player. 

He’s from Batley isn't he?

Edited October 9, 2024 by philipw

[philipw]

15 minutes ago, tandle said:

should have been £ 250.000. he was on contract for 2025.

balls to the friendly. 

£250? Because no one is paying 1/4 of a million for any player in RL (perhaps ever again) 

[thecrab]

Not a lack of ambition from me....just being fair to a young player who has the opportunity to join the best team in England and better himself.  We can't compete with wigan (yet!!) so we do the best we can as a club and get the best deal financially and give George his hard earned chance. 

In a few years it may be a whole different conversation with wigan but we are 12 months into a journey and we have to be reasonable and let him chase his dream.   Good luck George.

[Oldham Valderama]

14 hours ago, E Stand said:

It's seriously disappointing given Ford's avowed aim of attracting and keeping our talent in Oldham. Minimum should have been a substantial transfer fee.

 

Back in the real world at this moment in time there is a massive difference between Oldham & Wigan in terms of standing in Rugby League not to mention financial clout which no doubt played its part in George Hirst's decision. Yes Mike Ford has stated that he wants to keep all the best Oldham talent in Oldham however at present we are only at the beginning of the journey of taking Oldham back to the top rungs of Rugby League. I think it is highly unlikely that next season we will just stroll through the championship casting all aside and expect to be playing in Super League in 2026, cant see it happening to be honest.  

If the "project" to take Oldham back to the top is to succeed I'm sure it will probably take time to come to fruition, a few years establishing Oldham as a top level championship side who are competitive, getting the crowds up a few thousand, continuing to improve all off field commercial activities, social media etc doesn't happen overnight. Its gonna take time and for George Hirst who is 23 and a real prospect, as much as he loves Oldham he would be insane to turn down Wigan and the potential opportunities that are being presented to him (not least financially I'll bet) so fair play to him. I've no issue with the transfer, yes I'd have liked to keep him at Oldham but the lad deserves a chance to fulfil his ambitions, we've got him on loan for next season so hopefully he can still play an integral part in the championship campaign.

Lets get Oldham back to where they belong and then we can have the discussion about keeping talent at Oldham. If he had gone to say a Wakefield, Bradford or London for arguments sake then yeah I can see the point but come on, Wigan are in a different league to Oldham at this moment in time in all respects. 

Good Luck for the future George, you deserve your shot at the big time!!!!!

[shaw llewellyn]

13 minutes ago, Oldham Valderama said:

Back in the real world at this moment in time there is a massive difference between Oldham & Wigan in terms of standing in Rugby League not to mention financial clout which no doubt played its part in George Hirst's decision. Yes Mike Ford has stated that he wants to keep all the best Oldham talent in Oldham however at present we are only at the beginning of the journey of taking Oldham back to the top rungs of Rugby League. I think it is highly unlikely that next season we will just stroll through the championship casting all aside and expect to be playing in Super League in 2026, cant see it happening to be honest.  

If the "project" to take Oldham back to the top is to succeed I'm sure it will probably take time to come to fruition, a few years establishing Oldham as a top level championship side who are competitive, getting the crowds up a few thousand, continuing to improve all off field commercial activities, social media etc doesn't happen overnight. Its gonna take time and for George Hirst who is 23 and a real prospect, as much as he loves Oldham he would be insane to turn down Wigan and the potential opportunities that are being presented to him (not least financially I'll bet) so fair play to him. I've no issue with the transfer, yes I'd have liked to keep him at Oldham but the lad deserves a chance to fulfil his ambitions, we've got him on loan for next season so hopefully he can still play an integral part in the championship campaign.

Lets get Oldham back to where they belong and then we can have the discussion about keeping talent at Oldham. If he had gone to say a Wakefield, Bradford or London for arguments sake then yeah I can see the point but come on, Wigan are in a different league to Oldham at this moment in time in all respects. 

Good Luck for the future George, you deserve your shot at the big time!!!!!

Agree 100%.

Our ambition can't be questioned. Look at what we have achieved in just over 12 months.

Having said that we haven't even played a game in the championship yet so let's be patient.

[Jimmy DoNut]

It's an unusual deal this because when a player is under contract, which George is, a transfer fee is normally involved. This doesn't appear to be the case here. As I see it, if George doesn't make it at Wigan & never makes their first team, the deal won't have  cost Wigan a penny. But if he makes it big time & becomes a regular, they are paying us a fee per appearance so will we get recompensed by them for as long as George plays, 10 years potentially? Or is that just for 2025?

Also if he plays on loan for us in 2025 as is suggested, will he be training with us during the week or at Wigan? I'm not sure the other lads at Oldham would be too happy if he gets picked to play on a Sunday if he's been training there all week.

Guess all will come to light in due course. 

 

[tandle]

theres not a chance of wigan doing a deal like that.

oldham should have told wigan that  3 other clubs had put bids for him.

so ask wigan what their bid is. a good release fee is required.

george then goes for good .so non oh this stupid if why and when.

i will tell you now wigan will let you down.

trust wigan at your peril