Wigan Warriors prop makes return to Championship for 2026 season

Wigan Warriors prop Harvey Makin has joined Championship big hitters Oldham on a season-long loan to continue his development, the Roughyeds have announced.

Makin made his professional debut for Oldham in 2023 when they were a League 1 club, featuring twice and scoring one try for the Roughyeds.

But he returns to a very different Oldham in 2026, with the club now in the upper echelons of the Championship and among the favourites to win the second-tier title next year in a newly-merged 21-team competition.

Makin featured six times in Super League for Salford last season, as well as making a solitary appearance for the Warriors’ first team. But the 22-year-old will now head back into the Championship as he looks to edge closer to Matt Peet’s plans at Wigan.

He said: “I’m very excited to join Oldham, it is a club that is building which excites me. Oldham’s ambitions are Super League and that aligns to my own. This is a very ambitious club and I wouldn’t go to a club who doesn’t want to win every game.

“I want to bring loads of energy and a good intensity and try to raise the team – either with individual actions or geeing people up so we can win the game.

“Wigan is the best place in England to be when you are coming through the system but I want to show Oldham what I have learned and what I can bring to the team. I know a few of the lads already – I played with the Salford lads when I was there last year and I was with Iain Thornley at Wigan in my first year there.

“My goals for 2026 are to show what I can do and chase consistency. I want to prove that I can lead a forward pack week-to-week and really add to a team. I want us to be as good as possible and win as many games as we can.”

Oldham’s director of rugby, Mike Ford, said: “Harvey is a hugely talented young player who comes with great recommendation from Matty Peet and John Duffy at Wigan. He is a real solid character who comes from good stock at Wigan.

“His main attribute is performing to the best of his ability in every single game. Our fans are going to love him.”