Squad for 2026

[Tim G]

I know it sounds early to be thinking of squad names for next season as we don't know what league we will be in, however it's clear that Mike is constantly working on possible signings and I wondered what fans thoughts are on the type of player we will go for.

Josh Drinkwater is in the bag and personally I would make him club captain.   I assume JT will move into a coaching role.

Unless contracted for next season,  I also assume those players who struggle to get in this season's team will be released and higher calibre of players brought in.  The question is who these players are going to be.  I hope we have a mixture of young hungry lads with a sprinkling of older heads. 

Any thoughts or indeed rumours ?

[Jimmy DoNut]

Need to be sure who is contracted for next year already - I might be wrong here but I think those already tied up are Iain Thornley, Ben Davies, Riley Dean, Josh Drinkwater, Gil Dudson, Zane Musgrove, Matty Ashurst & Adam Milner.

Everybody else is out of contract & free to sign elsewhere or be released. 

[sheddingswasus]

Interesting one will be PLT. I think he has one year of his contract at HKR remaining, but I can’t re my see him breaking into the team with Broadbent playing so well 

[Bert Street]

1 hour ago, Jimmy DoNut said:

Need to be sure who is contracted for next year already - I might be wrong here but I think those already tied up are Iain Thornley, Ben Davies, Riley Dean, Josh Drinkwater, Gil Dudson, Zane Musgrove, Matty Ashurst & Adam Milner.

Everybody else is out of contract & free to sign elsewhere or be released. 

Not a bad start, is it?

[Stevos Barber]

 

3 hours ago, sheddingswasus said:

Interesting one will be PLT. I think he has one year of his contract at HKR remaining, but I can’t re my see him breaking into the team with Broadbent playing so well 

And Morgue plays full back

[sheddingswasus]

I hope he signs for us next year again 

[Tim G]

5 minutes ago, sheddingswasus said:

I hope he signs for us next year again 

I would like to see PLT have a go at hooker sometime.  I think he would be deadly in that position, especially in the championship. 

[bosman69]

There have been numerous names that we have been strongly linked with for next year.. most of which have been mentioned already like Lomax, Jack Hughes and Charnley. A new name to me was being referenced yesterday was Wakey hooker Liam Hood.  

[shrewsbury roughyed]

1 hour ago, bosman69 said:

There have been numerous names that we have been strongly linked with for next year.. most of which have been mentioned already like Lomax, Jack Hughes and Charnley. A new name to me was being referenced yesterday was Wakey hooker Liam Hood.  

Liam Hood is a very strong player.

[m brooksy]

Some of the signings for next season are going to be unreal. Some of the signings I've been told would be the best players I've ever seen in an Oldham shirt.

Really hope we can keep the majority of this years squad but you can imagine JT, Dudson, ET retiring. Then Tyrer and Astley simply haven't played enough to know if they're up to Championship standard and be unlikely to stay. We must keep the twins, they've been pound for pound the best signings we've made since BQ and Ford came in. Would happily keep everyone else from the squad but it depends if they want to play every week or are happy to be a squad member such as the likes of Lawton and Moran who we've already seen go out on loan.

Think people are going to be surprised how good a squad we'll have next season.

[jroyales]

What do you know???????

[shrewsbury roughyed]

1 hour ago, m brooksy said:

Some of the signings for next season are going to be unreal. Some of the signings I've been told would be the best players I've ever seen in an Oldham shirt.

Really hope we can keep the majority of this years squad but you can imagine JT, Dudson, ET retiring. Then Tyrer and Astley simply haven't played enough to know if they're up to Championship standard and be unlikely to stay. We must keep the twins, they've been pound for pound the best signings we've made since BQ and Ford came in. Would happily keep everyone else from the squad but it depends if they want to play every week or are happy to be a squad member such as the likes of Lawton and Moran who we've already seen go out on loan.

Think people are going to be surprised how good a squad we'll have next season.

Agreed re the Chapelhows. Off the pitch the Chuckle Brothers, on it the Dynamic Duo. Class through and through. 

[sheddingswasus]

2 hours ago, m brooksy said:

Some of the signings for next season are going to be unreal. Some of the signings I've been told would be the best players I've ever seen in an Oldham shirt.

Really hope we can keep the majority of this years squad but you can imagine JT, Dudson, ET retiring. Then Tyrer and Astley simply haven't played enough to know if they're up to Championship standard and be unlikely to stay. We must keep the twins, they've been pound for pound the best signings we've made since BQ and Ford came in. Would happily keep everyone else from the squad but it depends if they want to play every week or are happy to be a squad member such as the likes of Lawton and Moran who we've already seen go out on loan.

Think people are going to be surprised how good a squad we'll have next season.

I have a sneaky suspicion that the club are planning for SL. I have more a few rumours about full time but MF said the squad would only be full time in SL, so….. ?

ET told me at pre-season he was heading home at the end of the season to take up his pilots job, but who knows. The guy is still remarkably fit as we saw on Sunday.

Couldn’t agree more on the Chapelhows. Lawton, Farnworth and Moran are great players and would still fit well at the club. A fit Brad Gallagher would be an asset too  I would image George Hirst will be near the Wigan First team next season so would be surprised if we see him  Forget about Ashurst, still excellent as of now  

Hopefully Mattie Wildie will be back in the engine room and maybe with Pellisier? Liam Hood is tried and tested at Championship and SL. 
The pack is very strong with all the new signings.

In the backs I hope Oldham can continue with PLT. Kieren Dixon is class, Ben Davies is an excellent signing, and Ben O’Keefe showed what we have been missing. If he can regain fitness Iain Thornley is superb at centre.

What about the others? I wonder if all these injuries are catching up with Mo? Logan Astley seems to be on the periphery now. Cian Tyrer doesn’t seem to have made the step up to championship level which is a shame but it could be a confidence thing and another preseason may change it all?  

[bosman69]

17 hours ago, m brooksy said:

Some of the signings for next season are going to be unreal. Some of the signings I've been told would be the best players I've ever seen in an Oldham shirt.

Really hope we can keep the majority of this years squad but you can imagine JT, Dudson, ET retiring. Then Tyrer and Astley simply haven't played enough to know if they're up to Championship standard and be unlikely to stay. We must keep the twins, they've been pound for pound the best signings we've made since BQ and Ford came in. Would happily keep everyone else from the squad but it depends if they want to play every week or are happy to be a squad member such as the likes of Lawton and Moran who we've already seen go out on loan.

Think people are going to be surprised how good a squad we'll have next season.

I am sure the signings will be released when deemed appropriate. Some of the names we have been linked with are very exciting for sure but we have much to do this year with an exciting squad. We have been decimated in the 3/4s but the return of O'Keefe is a real boost. Sincerely hope he can keep fit and show his potential in the 2nd of the year. I thought Dudson was on a 2 Yr deal? Agree that ET is likely to finish and George referenced that his family have already gone home in the Halifax commentary.

[Happyed]

I’m surprised we’ve not been linked to Joe greenwood yet. Oldham lad and seems to fit the mould. His contract expires this year too

[RoughyedsFan_merged]

Reports we have offered Ryan Brierley a five year deal… he’s 33 already, not sure about that as good a player as he is.

[sheddingswasus]

24 minutes ago, RoughyedsFan_merged said:

Reports we have offered Ryan Brierley a five year deal… he’s 33 already, not sure about that as good a player as he is.

If that’s the case it sounds like PLT might be back at HKR 

[bosman69]

26 minutes ago, RoughyedsFan_merged said:

Reports we have offered Ryan Brierley a five year deal… he’s 33 already, not sure about that as good a player as he is.

I have read a report today that said we had made an approach for Brierley which had been rejected but the length of any deal was not referenced.  

[sheddingswasus]

https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/salford-red-devils-reject-ryan-1243232?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1751563778

[Stevos Barber]

I just love all the "interest" we show in players. Keeps us in the news and increases social media activity about the club. It's been a long time since we've been this much in the news!

[wozzeryedhead]

It's like listening to man utd apparently signing everybody now it sounds like us signing everybody 

[Tim G]

27 minutes ago, Stevos Barber said:

I just love all the "interest" we show in players. Keeps us in the news and increases social media activity about the club. It's been a long time since we've been this much in the news!

Totally agree. I am enjoying everything about the club literally on a daily basis.  We now have an owner who hates losing.  Now in the past there was many a fan who would not like the arrogance of winning at any cost , hence teams like Wigan and St Helen's continued to win win win.  I'm convinced there was a weakness in our DNA or something,  that and being damn unlucky with refereeing decisions etc.  

I think we have moved on and with Bill running the show, we really mean business.  Has our time about to come since the glory team of 1957, only time will tell. My gut feeling is that we will never have a better chance of becoming a great team again.  It wont be done overnight, but I can guarantee there are a number of clubs looking at us with envy. Support the lads and get the message out to your neighbours and friends. 

Be positive and dream big. These other teams take for granted what Bill and Mike want. It's good to have owners who are winners. 

 

 

 

 

[Happyed]

Lomax and charnley ripped it up this week. What a coup if these are roughyeds next year! 

[sheddingswasus]

Watching the Allout Rugby Podcast, they rate Oldham as one of the clubs to take the reduced funding to gain admission to SL 2026. Matt Shaw is a journalist with his ear to the ground so will be interesting to see what happens. 
All this squad building surely is for a reason ?

[RoytonRoughyed83]

4 minutes ago, sheddingswasus said:

Watching the Allout Rugby Podcast, they rate Oldham as one of the clubs to take the reduced funding to gain admission to SL 2026. Matt Shaw is a journalist with his ear to the ground so will be interesting to see what happens. 
All this squad building surely is for a reason ?

Something I don't like about us being in Super League without winning the Championship