OLDHAM are delighted to announce this evening that big, craggy prop Luke Nelmes will be back to toughen-up the Roughyeds’ front-row in 2021.
The former Halifax prop-forward, aged 27, had a great season for us in 2018 and he is thrilled-to-bits to be on his way back after signing a one-year contract.
He said:
“I can’t wait to get back and see the Oldham fans again, especially big Kev!”.
Talking exclusively to the Roughyeds’ website, this popular fans’ favourite reminded everyone that his previous spell at Oldham didn’t end as planned.
After playing in 27 out of a possible 30 games here in 2018 — all of them as an impact prop off the bench — Nelmes quickly signed another one-year deal, but after figuring in the first league game of 2019 — a 28-32 home defeat by Workington Town — he surprisingly disappeared from the scene and ultimately left the club.
Later that summer he signed for Dewsbury Rams and played three games for the Yorkshire outfit towards the end of the 2019 season before re-signing for 2020 and establishing himself as a Rams’ starting prop early this year before the Lockdown.
In the last game played before the Lockdown he helped Dewsbury win 24-6 at Bower Fold. We held them to 6-6 at half-time but lost our way in the second half when we conceded 18 unanswered points.
Said Roughyeds’ boss Matt Diskin:
“We simply couldn’t handle him (Nelmes). He’s a massive handful for any opposing pack. He just rolled us over down the middle. I’m delighted he’s coming back to Oldham. He’ll be a massive addition for us in 2021.
“He needs no introduction to Oldham fans, who know all about him from 2018. He now wants to improve on what he did for the club back then, in terms of attending to what he calls ‘unfinished business’.
“He’s a big, rough lad and he’ll do us proud.”
Nelmes said:
“I do have unfinished business to do at Oldham, as Matt says, and I can’t wait to get back and get cracking. The fans at Oldham are brilliant. I loved my time there in 2018.
“At the end there were a few issues away from rugby, but I’ve got my head back on now and I think I’ve got a point to prove. That’s what I intend to do.
“All being well, we’ll be back in proper training in November and I can’t wait, I’ll tell you.”
