Gregg McNally is back at Oldham to bolster the Roughyeds' push for promotion.

 

The young Huddersfield Giants ace recently completed an impressive one-month loan spell at the Whitebank Stadium, after which he rejoined Giants in line with the initial agreement between the clubs.

 

Roughyeds, however, always hoped to take the teenager back for a longer stay and the clubs have since struck a new loan deal in which the goalkicking half-back will spend the rest of the season at Oldham.

 

McNally (19) said after the fourth and final game of his first spell with Roughyeds that he would like to go back.

 

And his hopes were realised when Roughyeds chairman Chris Hamilton successfully concluded talks with the Giants for McNally to assist Oldham in their promotion quest, either automatically by finishing top of Championship One or via the play-offs.

 

"This is another statement of our intent," said a delighted Hamilton. "Gregg showed what a good player he is during his month here when he became increasingly influential within the team with each game he played.

 

"Everybody had an off-day when he made his debut against Hunslet, but in the following games against Workington, Blackpool and Doncaster his influence on the team was there for all to see.

 

"Over the course of the next few weeks, during the all-important run-in, we are going to need a lot of players.

 

"We will require as much overall strength in the squad as we can muster and to have Gregg available to us will be a huge plus.

 

"My thanks go to Huddersfield Giants for their help and co-operation in making this possible. Hopefully it will be a move that will work out satisfactorily for all concerned."

 

Coach Tony Benson said Roughyeds now had three of the best half-backs in the division in  long-serving Neil Roden, Kiwi Matty Ashe and McNally, a Cumbrian.

 

He added: "While on his initial month's loan Gregg did really well and fitted in with us as though he had always been at the club. He seemed to be one of us from day one.

 

"He enjoyed his rugby here and he went better and better with each game. He was keen to come back and he made that clear to us when his month was up.

 

"A couple of things needed to be sorted with Huddersfield but Chris (Hamilton) dealt with those and I am happy to have Gregg coming back to us as part of a squad that is looking forward to big challenges ahead.

 

"With three of the best halves in the division here there will be stiff competition for places, but that will apply throughout the team, not just at half-back."