Bowman set for Oldham loan

Halifax utility Anthony Bowman is set to join Championship 1 side Oldham on a month’s loan.

Bowman, 21, will put pen to paper on the deal when he trains with the Roughyeds for the first time tonight.

Also signing a loan deal is Salford centre Jon Ford, who has previously played five games for Oldham on dual-registration, ensuring he will be available for the next four or five games.

Coach Scott Naylor said: “Bowman can play a number of positions. I liked what Karl had to say about him and I saw it as an opportunity to bring in a player who has had considerable experience in a higher division.

“We’ve got a run of tough and important games coming up and we need to make sure that the squad is strong enough to take us to where we want to be.

“As for Jon Ford, we all know how capable he is. I’ve always wanted to get him on loan, as opposed to week-to-week dual registration, because he’s a very good player and a top lad.

“The partnership with Salford is working well for us and I’m hoping that once the initial one-month is up we will be allowed to extend the loan and perhaps keep hold of Jon for a while longer.

“Another dual-reg boy is coming in this weekend because we are more or less at the half-way stage in the season and some of the lads are looking a little bit tired and jaded.

“We’ve got a few injury niggles, nothing serious, but some of the boys are bruised and sore and I think now is the time to give a couple of them a rest.”

Bowman, who plays loose-forward or half-back, was born in Halifax, but signed for Wigan Warriors as a boy before returning home and joining Fax in 2010.

He has scored 16 tries in 38 first-team appearances for the Championship club.