NATHAN Roebuck and Eribe Doro could soon be joined by other former Saddleworth Rangers players in making their Super League debuts for Warrington Wolves.
Stand off/loose forward Tom Whitehead and second-row Callum Murphy, who learned their trade at Shaw Hall Bank Road, are academy players with Wolves.
Loose forward Nolan Tupaea and centre Jake Thewlis, younger brother of Wolves’ first-team player Josh, are on scholarship forms with The Wire.
It was with immense pride that Rangers’ chairman Shane Wilson watched Roebuck make a try-scoring debut against Salford Red Devils in a game in which Doro was an interchange.
Shane added Rangers do not any special ties with Wolves.
“It is a case of their scouts coming to our games and identifying talent,” he said.
Shane pointed out while Roebuck and Doro were outstanding juniors, they also had a burning desire to reach the top of their sport.
“Eribe showed the ultimate commitment as, before he had a car, he travelled by public transport every day from Oldham to Warrington,” he explained.
Shane pointed out he coached Nolan since the age of six and Jake for many years along with other coaches Darrell Rogers and Kevin Sinfield.
He said: “It is with immense pride that I have been able to play a part in their development.
“They were naturally talented players are it was satisfying to help steer them along with way.
“To invest time in the lads and then watch them flourish is something I take great pride in.”
Tom was coached through to the U16s at Rangers by his father John who has now switched to the U14s to bring through his other on Connor.
And another Rangers’ player has joined the professional ranks, with giant prop Andy Joy signing for Coventry Bears.
Shane said: “Andy is another player who came through the junior ranks.
“It is an opportunity for another of our lads to play at a higher level and we wish him all the best.”
• ARRON Muller has stood down as Rangers’ second-team coach but will remain in charge of the U10s.
Arron stepped up to the breach to take all open-age training during lockdown with first-team coach Ken Kerr back in Australia.
Shane said: “I would like to thank Arron for all his efforts and everything he has done for the club, especially taking training during lockdown.
“He is somebody else who came through the Rangers set-up as a junior before stepping up to coaching.”
Arron last season achieved success as his took Rangers’ second team to the play offs in division four of the North West Counties League. And his efforts were recognised as he was named run-ner-up in the coach of the year for that division.
• Rangers’ junior teams could be back in competitive action over the weekend of October 17 and 18.
The RFL is working towards that start date for junior rugby, though the open age teams will not be playing again until 2021.
Open-age rugby, however, will not resume in 2020 with the Rugby Football League ruling out a restart for the community game.
• Rangers have received £15,000 from the World Cup Capital Grants programme.
The money has been spent on new goalposts and dugouts as well as extending the Astroturf area outside the clubhouse so it can become a winter training area.
