Wigan offer O'Neill another new beginning

The turbulent career of Julian O'Neill will take another turn next season, when he arrives at Wigan on a two-year contract with a brief to fill their problem position at stand-off.

O'Neill has one of the most chequered records in the game, after being sacked by a number of clubs in Australia, often because of drink-related incidents. He also had short, but eventful, stints in Britain with Widnes and the London Broncos.

Now 29, he has been quieter over the last couple of years, since settling with the North Queensland Cowboys and starting a family, but he suffered a tragedy earlier this year when his infant son was killed after a television toppled on to him

Wigan believe that any risk over his temperament off the field is worth taking for his obvious ability on it. A regular in the Brisbane Broncos' first team at 20, he played State of Origin the following year and represented Australia in 1997.

"He is a quality player who has a burning ambition to win a major trophy in this country," said the Wigan chairman, Maurice Lindsay.

O'Neill is a direct replacement for another Australian, Matthew Johns, who had an injury-hit first season with Wigan before asking for a release from the second year of his contract. He fills the club's fifth and last overseas spot, with the St George-Illawarra pair of Craig Smith and Jamie Ainscough also due to arrive at the end of this month and start training with their new team-mates.

"It will be a great honour for me to be joining a great club like Wigan," O'Neill said. "I'm coming over to England to win trophies and I believe that we have a great chance of going one step further in Super League next season."

Confusingly, the other Julian O'Neill could also be on the move. The New Zealand-born prop of that same name has asked Wakefield Trinity for a release from the second year of his contract, because he wants to move to a club closer to his home in Warrington. Newly-promoted Widnes are thought to be interested in the former St Helens front-rower. Meanwhile the Wakefield coach Peter Roe has recruited two new players, Troy Slattery and Nathan Wood, on his recent trip to Australia.

The Oldham chairman, Chris Hamilton, is to meet officers from Tameside Council tomorrow to try to work out how to bring the Ashton United ground – at which they planned to play their Northern Ford Premiership matches this season – up to safety standards.

Oldham were refused a safety certificate for last weekend's opening fixture. "But we are hopeful that we will be able to do everything that is needed in time for our next home game on 23 December," Hamilton said.