Ghosts' German shepherd ready to lead the flock

BILLSBOROUGH is set to strengthen the Ghosts' spine alongside premiership-winning half Jake Frame when he arrives at Frank McGuren Field in February.

ACE: Brad Billsborough will leave the Swinton Lions to link up with the Grafton Ghosts next season. Picture: Facebook

RUGBY LEAGUE: English championship halfback Brad Billsborough has reportedly turned down multiple offers to stay in the Super League to instead link up with the Grafton Ghosts in Group 2 next season.

Billsborough is set to strengthen the Ghosts' spine alongside premiership-winning half Jake Frame when he arrives at Frank McGuren Field for pre-season in February.

The 20-year-old playmaker started the 2018 season playing for League 1 side Whitehaven before making a mid-year switch to Championship outfit Swinton Lions after impressive early season performances.

His efforts in championship also earned Billsborough a call up to the Germany national side where he was named captain to lead them onto the field in a win against Croatia back in August this year.

While he has experience wearing the number seven jersey, Ghosts' president Gary Gillespie expects Billsborough will be able to slot into a number of roles in the club's spine.

With a rumoured move back across the river for star dummy-half Todd Cameron, the news of Billsborough's signing has come at the perfect time for the Ghosts.

"We can't wait to have Brad join us next season,” Gillespie said. "He is only a young fella, but he has already proven his worth on and off the field in the past couple of seasons working as a St Helens development officer and captaining the German national team.

"We are very impressed, he seems very professional on the field from what we have seen, and off the field he has been nothing but a gentleman in his dealings with the club.

"He wanted an opportunity to try himself in the Australian game and we were happy to provide that chance.”

Billsborough is not the only English influence at the Ghosts next season, with spirited prop Adam Slater inking a new deal with the club, and effectively ending all suspicion he was set to return to the Woolgoolga Seahorses next season.

Lethal centre Dylan Collett has also put pen to paper to secure his future at the club.

Collett has been a key cog to the club's success in recent years, and topped the Group 2 try scorers' ranks in 2018.

Originally published as Ghosts' German shepherd ready to lead the flock