Chappell signs for Oldham
Oldham have signed Sheffield Eagles centre Nathan Chappell.
He scored two tries from the left-centre berth in Sheffield’s 54-24 win at Bower Fold five weeks ago.
“He can play equally well in the backs and forwards and that’s important to us,” Roughyeds boss Scott Naylor said.
“We’ve been looking at him for a while. I like his speed, his quality and his try-scoring stats.
“Whether he’s playing in the backs or forwards he will be a very good addition to the sort of squad we are putting together for our second season in the Championship.”
Chappell who lives in Huddersfield, has penned a two-year deal and joins fellow new boys Ben Davies, Scott Leatherbarrow and David Hewitt.
Chappell said: “Jack Blagbrough also said he liked his loan spell at Oldham so I met up with Chris Hamilton (club chairman) who was very positive about the club and where it was going.
“The club is setting realistic, achievable targets and I like to think I could make a bit of an impact over there and help it to move up the ladder.
“I’ve been playing mainly centre in recent times, but I like second-row as well and I would have no trouble in adjusting if I was required to switch to the forwards.”
Huddersfield-born Chappell played for Newsome Panthers as a boy, signing for Huddersfield Giants when he was 17.
He had three years in the Giants’ academy set-up, then a short stay with Castleford Tigers before spending two seasons with Featherstone.
Moving to Australia, he played for two years with Goulburn in the Canberra Cup competition before returning to Featherstone and then on to Sheffield.
“The standard of the Canberra Cup attracts ex-NRL players so it’s pretty high,” Chappell said.
“I had two good years there and played a bit of rep rugby.
“I was offered trials with Canberra Raiders but that didn’t fit in with my plans so I turned it down.
“When I got to Sheffield it was the first time I had been full time since my Castleford days, but I managed to find myself a spot and I have to say I liked it there.
“Unfortunately, there was so much uncertainty about the club’s future that quite a few of us felt we had no option but to look at what else was available.”