TACKLING machine Zac Baker is enjoying developing his rugby under head coach Stuart Littler.
After leaving Rochdale at the end of last year, Baker chose to sign for Oldham, rejecting six offers to play elsewhere.
One of the key reasons he put pen to paper was because of the ambitions of the club and head coach Stuart Littler.
“I thought at Oldham it would be a new start and the club’s ambitions in pushing for promotion excited me,” he said
“We’ve got a good set of lads and from the start everybody has been welcoming. Stu (Littler) is easy to get on with and tells you the truth – you know exactly what he expects from you.
“He never hides anything, he tells you how it is and that’s what you want as a player so you know where you are going wrong and how to improve.”
In Baker’s short space of time at the club, since joining from Rochdale Hornets, he has quickly gained a reputation for being an uncompromising hard tackler and has become a key player for Roughyeds, so far.
Littler believes Baker, who was a product of the Bradford Bulls academy, can develop even further as a player.
“I know Zac from coaching him as a kid over in Rochdale. I’ve monitored him throughout his career and this season he has been great for us – there’s no other way of describing him,” he said.
“He’s tough in contact and he hits some real good running lines. He has a very good leg drive and he’s a handful for the opposition, both with and without the ball.
“On that left edge for us, he’s a real threat and he’s someone we are keen to continue working with and developing even further.”
Baker will be looking to continue his good form when Roughyeds face his former club Rochdale on Good Friday.
You can read more about Zac Baker’s rugby league journey: he’s the Player Focus for the upcoming online programme, which will be released soon on our online match programmes page.
Our Good Friday fixture has been moved from 3pm to a 7:30pm kick off to avoid a clash with Oldham Athletic who play Altrincham at Boundary Park.
Tickets for the derby at the Vestacare Stadium are priced at £16 for adults, £10 for concessions, £5 for students, FREE for under-16s and you can purchase them on our ticketing site.
