THE hugely experienced and much-travelled prop Jack Blagbrough, known to hundreds of local youngsters as a former pastoral worker at Failsworth Academy, just down the road from the Vestacare Stadium, has signed a one-year contract to play for Roughyeds in 2023.
At the age of 28 and having worn the shirts of Newsome Panthers, Huddersfield Giants (from Academy upwards), Sheffield Eagles, York City Knights, Leigh Centurions (as they were then) and Batley Bulldogs, Jack is more than qualified to do for our forwards what Martyn Ridyard and Gregg McNally will do for the backs.
A lot of Oldham fans will also recall that, six years ago, when he was still a forward in the making, he had a loan spell with us and scored two tries in seven games,
He said:
“This year I wanted to take on a new challenge and hopefully lead the pack to a promotion. “Championship has to be the aim this year and there’s no reason why we can’t do it.
“I’m experienced, I’ve been around enough years and enough clubs and I want to bring that experience of winning and being at the top end of the league to Oldham.
“From all the coaches I’ve played under, they’ve always been big on mentality and building a team that has a good environment and that’s what I think Oldham are building this year.”
The 28-year-old started out his career at home-town club Huddersfield Giants and made an appearance in Super League, after coming through their academy system.
After leaving Huddersfield eight years ago, Jack has played his rugby at numerous top end Championship clubs including Leigh, York, Sheffield and Batley Bulldogs.
Most recently, he had been playing for recently relegated Dewsbury Rams, after going on loan mid-way through last season.
Head coach Stuart Littler said:
“Jack is an experienced prop and he’s played a lot of Championship rugby.
“He’s coming to us for the right reasons and we’re delighted to get him on board and start working with him.
“He’s a lad who keeps himself fit and he’s going to come and compete hard.
“He’s still got a lot of ambition and he sees and understands the vision that we’ve put forward and the journey we are about to set out on.”
Jack’s rugby league CV speaks for itself and in 2014 he signed for Sheffield Eagles, who at that time - were challenging at the top end of the second tier.
He spent three seasons in South Yorkshire until 2017 when he tried his hand Down Under playing for Mackay Cutters in the Intrust Super Cup.
He returned a year later for Leigh Centurions, who had recently been relegated from Super League.
Then, in 2019, he played a key role in newly-promoted York City Knights’ play-off semi-final finish.
He signed for Batley, shortly after, to play under Craig Lingard — a coach renowned for his excellent recruitment, having steered the Bulldogs to back-to-back play-off successes including last year’s Million Pound Game.
