OLDHAM lad Jordan Turner has been appointed as the Roughyeds captain for the upcoming 2024 season.
The 34-year-old – who is also on the coaching setup – has a wealth of experience having played at the top of Super League, as well as the NRL, and is a commanding voice on the training field.
Roughyeds boss Sean Long firmly believes Turner is the right man to take on the captain’s armband.
“He is really experienced and, in training, he talks to the group well,” Long explained.
“He’s kind of the coach on the field with how he operates, which is why I picked him.
“With him being an Oldham lad, coupled with his experience throughout his career, it just made sense.”
For Turner, although he has been part of leadership groups, this will be the first time he assumes the role of captain in his career – a responsibility he is honoured to undertake.
“Being made captain is probably one of the biggest honours in my career,” said Turner.
“To captain the club of my hometown meeans an awful lot, and I want to thank Sean for handing me the role.
“When I first started watching Oldham they were in Super League, so it was always a dream just to be able to play for them.
“If you had said this would happen to me at the start of the year, I probably would have thought you were mad.
“It’s a dream come true and I just wish my grandad would have been alive to see it.”
As part of the other roles, Joe Wardle has been made vice-captain and he is joined by five others – Craig Kopczak, Elijah Taylor, Matty Wildie, Danny Craven and Logan Astley – which make for a seven-strong leadership group.
Commenting on the group as a whole, Long said:
“There are more leaders in the team than what I put in, but I usually keep it to around seven members.
“We may add to it during the year, and I think it shows that we’ve got some good leaders in the team.
“Logan (Astley) has lots of potential and lately in training he’s been speaking up quite a bit.
“I think this will help him learn off the other leaders and make him a better player.”
