ROUGHYEDS are proud to announce that Gregg McNally, one of the best and most talented players outside Super League over the last decade, will make a sentimental return to Oldham in 2023, having played here on dual registration from Huddersfield Giants in 2010.
The Marra, born and brought up in rugby-league-mad Whitehaven, is 31 now but still has lots to offer as an elder statesman of the game, like his best pal Martyn Ridyard, who has seen it, been there, worn the tee shirt and can pass down all his wonderful experiences to the younger end of the squad.
He is one of the best and quickest-thinking players in League One and it is testimony to his speed of thought and movement that in his distinguished career to date his CV tells us he has played 298 senior games, scoring a remarkable 181 tries and kicking 163 goals and four drop goals for a tally of 1,054 points.
In his spell at Oldham 12 years ago, he arrived late in the season, played only 12 games, but scored seven tries, 46 goals and a drop goal for 121 points and, remarkably, an eighth-place finish in the divisional list of points scorers.
Oldham won 17 of their 20 Championship One games to finish second to Hunslet and they boasted the third-tier’s best average attendance of 808.
In the Grand Final at Warrington, McNally played scrum-half to Neil Roden.
His return to Oldham will be emotional on two counts — as Roughyeds lost 25-4 in that 2010 Grand Final he believes he has “unfinished business” to attend to here and he will also be turning back the clock to the many years he played at Leigh in the same team as Ridyard and Stu Littler.
Said Gregg:
“I’m over the moon to be playing for the Roughyeds in 2023. The club is building a very good squad this year and hopefully we can build on the foundations created by Stu, Shez and Chris last year.
“I’m looking forward to again working with Stu and Riddy whom I played alongside for a number of years. Stu plays an exciting style of rugby that excites the fans and also makes his players play with smiles on faces which is when I play my best rugby.
“I feel I have some unfinished business from when I was last at Oldham back in 2010 and I’m looking forward to hopefully putting that right this year.”
Sadly, Gregg’s return to Roughyeds has coincided with the shock passing of his mum.
Club chairman Chris Hamilton said
“We are obviously delighted to have brought Gregg back to the club but that is tinged with sadness after the recent and shock passing of his mum. Stuart Littler and I have kept in contact with him but on behalf of everybody connected with the club — and that undoubtedly includes all the Oldham fans and his new teammates, — we send our heartfelt condolences to Gregg, his dad and his family and friends at this very sad time.”
Riddy and Stu echoed those condolences and sentiments and then spoke highly of Gregg, both as a player and a person.
Said Martyn:
“Gregg and I have been best mates for years. He came to Leigh in 2012 and we played together until 2017. We were back together again in 2019.
“He’s one of the best full-backs I’ve ever played with. We bounced off each other at Leigh and I’m hoping we can replicate that at Oldham.”
Stu added:
“Gregg was one of the division’s top try scorers last season and I’m excited he is coming on board. We go back a long way, first as playing colleagues at Leigh and then as player and coach in the Ireland set-up.
“Gregg can play full-back or in either of the half-back spots and he will certainly add to the fight for places. It’s going to be all about competition and that’s got to be good.”
