Oldham land Jamie Abram

Young hooker Jamie Abram, who's been at Salford Red Devils, Warrington Wolves and Dewsbury Rams, has signed for Oldham until November 30 this year.

Aged 20, Jamie is the younger brother of Roughyeds full-back Dan Abram and the son of Darren, an Oldham centre in the 1990s.

Said chairman Chris Hamilton: "Jamie recently got his release from Dewsbury because he was experiencing problems travelling from Warrington.

"He's a good, young player whom we were already aware of and with Matty Wilkinson out for most of the season, Jamie will provide cover at hooker."

Head coach Matt Diskin has always wanted three hookers and he has them now in club captain Gareth Owen, livewire Declan Gregory and the younger Abram.

Technically, he has four with Wilkinson, but in reality only three for this year's Championship challenge because of Wilkinson's serious injury.

The original plan was to go with Owen, Wilkinson and Gregory, but Diskin will now have specialist hookers in Owen, Gregory and Abram,

all pushing for either a place in the starting line-up or a spot on the bench.

Diskin, himself a hooker of outstanding ability in his playing career, commented: "Jamie is a quality young player from a good rugby league family.

"He's got a great work ethic and he's well aware of -- but not fazed by -- the challenge that lies ahead of him and the fact that he has a lot of experience in front of him (in the selection process).

"That alone says a lot about the lad."

Abram, who trained with the squad last night (Tues) for the first time, played in the youth section at Warrington RUFC from the age of five and switched to rugby league at 14 when he joined Latchford Albion.

He became a Salford Red Devils scholar at the age of 16 and later played for Warrington Wolves under-19s before going back to Salford in the Reserves and then on to Dewsbury Rams.

He said: "It will be a new challenge and I'm really looking forward to it."