Sambou earns Super League chance

Oldham can confirm that centre Jumah Sambou will move to Betfred Super League leaders Hull KR at the end of the season.

Sambou is set to return from suspension for Oldham next weekend, having thrilled fans with a stunning start to the season. His performances have attracted Super League interest and the club would not stand in the way of the 23-year-old's desire to realise his dream.

Roughyeds managing director Mike Ford says that while disappointed to see Sambou opt to leave, the increasing level of Super League interest in Oldham's players underlines the giant strides forward being made by the club on and off the field.

"We wish Jumah all the very best and are very pleased for him that he has been offered this opportunity," Ford told Roughyeds TV.

It is an immense credit to our environment at Oldham that clubs like Hull KR and Wigan - the best two sides in the British game - are interested in our best talent. And that the best talent from Super League are showing an interest in coming to play at Oldham too.

We are very pleased at this recognition for Jumah and we know he will be a huge success. But first of all he has a key role to play for us over the next six months as we bid for success at the top of the Betfred Championship and to reach Wembley for the first time in the club's history. We can't wait to have him back on the field wearing that Oldham shirt with pride.

One of our key goals at Oldham is to develop a club and pathway system that will discover and retain the very best young players in our sport. But as we saw with Wigan and George Hirst we are not quite there yet. We would never stop any of our players from making a step up - we value them too highly.

So of course we don't want to see our best players leave, but we should feel really positive that the rugby league world is now taking notice of Oldham again."

Sambou broke through at St Helens before moving to Oldham but missed almost all of last season with an ACL injury. He returned to the side with four tries in two explosive games, following it up with six more in six games at the start of 2025 before his ban.

He will be available again from next Saturday when Oldham welcome Toulouse in a huge Championship fixture at Boundary Park.

"He's a great player to watch and we love having him in the team," said head coach Sean Long.

It is a credit to both Jumah and our club that Hull KR want to sign him. We have strong links with Rovers and their boss Willie Peters, with Phoenix Laulu-Togaga'e having been with us the past two seasons, so hopefully it may be an option to use Jumah next season like we have with Phoenix and with George and Wigan.

Either way I'm sure he will be a big success in Super League".