Whitehaven Rugby League have announced a triple re-signing – Marcus O’Brien, Guy Graham and Oscar Doran.
The trio will all wear chocolate, blue and gold again in 2024 after signing new 12-month deals with the club.
O’Brien will be raring to go once the 2024 season starts following an ACL injury sustained in the Easter meeting with Barrow Raiders ended the utility forward’s season.
He was named in the final 21 man squad versus Toulouse but was not selected for the final match day squad. He made nine appearances scoring one try in 2023.
After tying down O’Brien for another season head coach Jonty Gorley said: “Even though we didn’t see much of Marcus this season, the few games we did see him proved to me what I already knew about him.
“We saw a player that gives absolutely everything each time he plays. He’s tough, carries the ball really well and technically he’s our best defender and we certainly missed him after the Good Friday game.
“Marcus was our best player up to that point, whether he played at 9 or as a running middle. He was a stand-out every game.
“I’m hoping to see a lot more of him in 2024 because the team definitely benefits when Marcus plays.”
Scottish International Guy Graham was another of the 2023 squad whose season was disrupted by injury limiting the prop forward to 13 appearances, scoring three tries.
Gorley has high hopes ahead of the 2024 season for Graham saying: “It’s great to have Guy back with us because I think we still haven’t seen the best of him.
“He missed the start of the season through injury and it took him a bit to get up to speed. Towards the end of the season it’s probably been the fittest I’ve seen him and he was doing bigger minutes but then he got injured again and missed the end of the season.
“I do think Guy could be up there with the best front rowers in the competition. His post contact metres are great and we all know how hard he can hit, we just need him injury free and get his fitness up where it was and more.
“When that happens that’s when we will see the best of him. It’s good to have him back.”
Doran will be looking to push on following a successful first professional season in Rugby League which saw the young winger named the club’s young player of the year.
The winger made 11 appearances scoring four tries after joining the club permanently in May after a successful trial spell.
Gorley said: “Oscar was brought to my attention early on this season and with him playing a lot of union I didn’t know much about him but was told he was big, fast and strong for his age and had played union and league to a good standard at youth level.
”I invited him to training and before we knew it, because of injuries and not having a great lot of outside backs he was thrown in at the deep end. Oscar impressed me, his carries were strong and he could finish as well.
“He’s probably got more game time than we both expected and never let us down.
“With a full pre-season into him and some positional specifics to work on, I think Oscar can be a top player for us.”
