ROUGHYEDS have announce their ninth signing for 2022 with the capture on a one-year contract of former Featherstone Rovers, Hunslet and Keighley Cougars front-row forward Jack Coventry.

It is widely believed in the game that, at the age of 27, Jack still has his best years ahead of him as a tough, rugged front-rower.

He is a close friend and best pal of centre Will Cooke, who has also signed for Roughyeds.

Natives of Castleford, where they both live, they have played together at Hunslet and Keighley, having both learned the rudiments of the game at their local amateur club, Castleford Panthers.

In their teens they went their separate ways - Coventry to Featherstone, Cooke to Castleford Tigers.

Coventry went from scholarship to first-team at Rovers, for whom he made seven Championship appearances in 2015 before going to Hunslet on loan and then signing a two-year deal for 2017 and 2018.

Cooke, younger by three years, had a successful spell at Oxford before joining his mate at Hunslet in 2018.

In 2019 they were both at Keighley, Coventry making 21 appearances and Cooke 18.

The 2020 season was abandoned almost before it had got going and last season Coventry was still at Cougar Park but Cooke had moved back to the South Leeds Stadium.

They now team up again at Oldham - and nobody is happier than Roughyeds’ new team boss Stuart Littler.

He said: “They’re both coming for the right reasons, determined to advance their careers and go as far as they can. I’m looking forward to working with them both.

“We identified Will as a young player with plenty more to offer and we believe, like him, that he can become a Championship player with the right guidance. As a former centre myself I hope I can help him to achieve his ambitions.

“If he makes it to the Championship, we hope it will be with Oldham because that’s what we’ll be striving for too.

“As for Jack, he’s another who’s coming to work hard, to do well for us and also to see if he can become a Championship player. Both of them are enthusiastic and ambitious and I’ll be speaking to them about the attractive brand of rugby we will be striving to play.

“They will have specific roles and I know they will fit into the overall plan. They will do well on and off the field - and off the field is just as important as on the field in terms of interaction with everybody.”

Said Coventry, who will also be playing for a Lancashire club for the first time: “I can’t wait to get started. It will be a massive change and a huge challenge.

“I was very impressed when I talked to Chris and heard what he had to say about the club’s plans for the future.”

Cooke played for Castleford Panthers as a boy before spending two years in the Castleford Tigers Academy squad, honing the skills that have stood him in good stead at League One level in the last five seasons.

Oxford had close links with Castleford Tigers and the amateur scene in Cas in 2017 and Cooke was one of several young players from that area who travelled south on game day to play for the Cavaliers, training midweek back in Castleford.

Since leaving Oxford, he has had two separate seasons at Hunslet, either side of a two-year stay at Keighley.

He said: “I’m very much looking forward to starting at Oldham - the first time in my career I’ve crossed the Pennines to play for a Lancashire club. They seem to be assembling a good group of lads and I’m delighted to be among them.”

Family-wise, he’s engaged to Nicola and they have a baby girl Myla, who is 18-months-old. He works as a career advisor at a West Yorkshire high school.

The nine who have signed so far comprise of six players who were here last season and three new signings. Backs: Joe Hartley, Ben Holcroft, Tommy Brierley, David Hewitt, Will Cooke.

Forwards: Brad Jinks (hooker), Luke Nelmes, Callum Cameron, Jack Coventry.

Hartley, Jinks and Cameron are local lads - and head coach Littler would like to see more Oldhamers in his squad.

n This is not only the time of year when clubs are preparing for and building squads for next year.

It’s also a time for awards nights and for looking back to last season when fans can meet their favourite players face to face.

The Roughyeds’ 2021 awards night will be held this Saturday (7pm for 7.30pm) at the Oldham Event Centre at Boundary Park.

The MC will be club photographer David Murgatroyd, who is fighting back to full health after major surgery. He was forced to miss most of last season, but he has welcomed the opportunity to get back in harness on Saturday, prior to returning to his media duties next season.

“It will be a great night for the supporters. It always is,” said David, who also pointed out that the Roughyeds faithful will be able to meet and greet the club’s new vice-chairman John Roddy.

Tickets priced £15, including potato-pie supper, can be purchased online via the club website.