Dallimore quits Oldham
Jamie Dallimore has quit Oldham and in so doing has left the Roughyeds “in the lurch”, says coach Scott Naylor.
As he was adamant he wanted to go, the club has released him from a one-year contract which had several months still to run.
This effectively paves the way for the goalkicking half-back to seek a career move and to negotiate with other clubs as a free agent.
Workington Town, of the Championship, and Oldham’s Kingstone Press Championship One rivals Rochdale Hornets and Oxford are thought to be interested in the 24-year-old former BARLA Great Britain international.
Oldham say Dallimore announced his shock decision the day before the Gloucester game when he learned that he was to be rested as part of Naylor’s squad rotation policy.
Up to that point he had played in five of the Roughyeds’ six games in cup and league, missing only the 34-16 home win against Gateshead Thunder in the Northern Rail Cup on March 17.
Also given a rest when Naylor’s men trounced the All Golds 36-0 in Cheltenham were centre Danny Samuel and hooker Sam Gee, the team’s vice-captain.
Speaking today after the club announced the decision to let Dallimore go, Naylor said he was “disappointed” by the player’s actions.
He added: “I rotate players so they all get games, but Jamie made it clear he didn’t want to stay to be part of the team and the squad.
“He did all the pre-season work with us and we’ve done a lot of work with him since the season started, but now he’s gone and he’s left us in the lurch a little bit. That’s disappointing.
“We were not aware that he wanted to leave or that anything was bothering him until he told us, on the Saturday morning, after I had announced the team to go to Gloucestershire.
“Of our three half-backs Neil Roden has missed the most game time.
“Sam Gee was also rotated on the same weekend, but he travelled as 18th man, knowing he wouldn’t be playing, but happy to do his bit for club and team and to help out with dressing room duties.
“That’s what rugby is all about. We’re a team and a squad and we have to stick together in both the good times and the not-so-good times.
“On a personal note I wish Jamie all the best wherever he ends up. I hope he enjoys his new club and is successful there and I hope he goes in the belief that he has learned a little bit during his time with us.”
Formerly with St Cuthbert’s amateur club in Wigan, Dallimore spent a full season in John Hough’s trophy-winning Roughyeds reserves side before graduating to the first team.
He played three games towards the end of the 2011 season, making his debut in a heavy Challenge Cup defeat by Super League club Hull FC at the KC Stadium in May of that year. By the following season, 2012, he was a first-team regular.
He signed a new contract for 2013 and had scored 38 points in five games — four tries and 11 goals — when he told the club he had played his last game for the Roughyeds.
In total he played 31 senior games, notching up 243 points with 15 tries, 91 goals and a drop goal.