Duo commit to Oldham for 2019

Matty Wilkinson and Ben Calland have signed one-year deals with Oldham.

Wilkinson has resisted approaches from other clubs in favour of signing a new one-year contract at the Vestacare Stadium.

The 22-year-old hooker has scored 11 tries in 34 appearances for the Roughyeds.

On his new deal, Wilkinson said: “As long as Oldham wanted to keep me, I wasn’t going anywhere.

“It’s great to be working with Nobby (Scott Naylor) and Pete Carey. We lost too many tight games narrowly last season and that’s a lesson we have to learn. We have to find a way to win in games that could go either way.

“Next season we’ll have to be on our game every single week and we’ll have to up our game to make up for losing Langers [Danny Langtree].

“He’s a great lad who deserves his chance in Super League but we’ve a lot to do to compensate losing him.”

Calland has signed a one-year agreement with Oldham, where he links up with good friends Liam Bent and Wilkinson, whom he played in Salford’s academy with.

He is the younger brother of Matt Calland, who played for Rochdale Hornets, Featherstone Rovers, Bradford Bulls, Hull FC and Huddersfield Giants.

On joining Oldham, Calland said: “I’m excited by the prospect of being coached by Scott, who has been to the top, done it all by himself and knows what it’s all about.

“As a centre, he’ll be very intricate and I like that; I like playing chessboard rugby where a lot of thinking goes into it.”