Championship newcomers announce four departures ahead of 2025, including veteran ex-Super League trio

League 1 champions Oldham have confirmed four departures ahead of their Championship return, including a trio of former Super League veterans.

The Roughyeds cruised to the title in the third tier this season under the tutelage of Sean Long, losing just one of their 20 league games.

But as they prepare to play in the second tier for the first time since 2021, the Boundary Park outfit have bid farewell to four of their title-winning squad.

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Championship newcomers announce four departures ahead of 2025, including veteran ex-Super League trio

Former Super League aces Josh Johnson and Jamie Ellis are among the quartet of confirmed departees, with that pair having made more than 180 top flight appearances between them.

Johnson has been with hometown club Oldham since Jul 2023, featuring 22 times and scoring one try having joined from Bradford Bulls, with that sole four-pointer coming last month in a thumping 72-0 win against Cornwall on home soil.

Ellis meanwhile made his Roughyeds debut in September 2023, going on to amass 16 appearances for the club in total.

Kicking 61 goals this season across all competitions, the half-back’s only Oldham try came back in March during a win against Rochdale Hornets.

Loanee Adam Sidlow joins the duo in seeing his exit from Boundary Park confirmed. The forward spent the back end of the 2024 campaign on loan with Long’s side, making seven appearances and scoring one try – in that win against Cornwall.

Sidlow had already seen his exit from parent club Salford Red Devils at the end of the year confirmed, and had been expected to link up with Oldham on a permanent basis, but his future is now unclear oncemore.

Youngster Kian Morgan, who turned 24 in May, rounds off the four confirmed exits from Boundary Park. He made his senior debut for the Roughyeds back in April 2022 and has featured 39 times in total, scoring 21 tries.

Just five of those appearances came this year for Long’s side with opportunities limited, and the utility back now departs in search of opportunities elsewhere.

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