Hamilton impressed by spirit of youth

CHRIS HAMILTON: impressed

ROUGHYEDS ROUND UP: ROUGHYEDS chairman Chris Hamilton has praised the work of the squad’s young guns.

There are currently three members of the first-team — Scott Mansfield, Chris Clarke and Ben Heaton — who first joined the club on trial when the reserves were relaunched two seasons ago.

All three have come on leaps and bounds since to earn professional deals and become fixtures in squads selected by coach Tony Benson.

Mansfield has impressed despite having two front-line hookers in Martin Roden and Danny Whitmore to compete with; Clarke rugged hard work has endeared him to fans and sponsors selecting man-of-the-match awards; and Heaton has carried on from where he left off last season, scoring two brilliant individual tries in 2010 alone.

Behind the trio are four players in their second term of reserves rugby and the first of two-year pro deals: Michael Ward, Austen Barrowclough, Jacob Kinney and Ross Coates.

And in addition, there is Mark Smith, in his third year in the reserves and the second of a two-year deal, and 19-year-old Ben Marsden, who is in his first season of reserves rugby and the first of a two-year contract.

“It was only at the back end of last season that Ben Heaton forced his way into the first team in such spectacular style first at Dewsbury and then at York,” said Hamilton.

“And he walked off with an armful of awards at the end-of-season presentation night.

“Chris Clarke has come through this season and has picked up at least two man-of-the-match awards.

“Scott Mansfield has been unlucky with injuries but he has worked really hard, especially in the last pre season, and has earned himself a place in the squad. He has made four first team appearances this year, is never far away from the matchday squad and was 18th man on Sunday.

“These three local boys came to us full of hope and ambition as relatively unknown 17-year-olds and everybody at the club is very proud of their progress to senior rugby and delighted for the boys.

“Hopefully, there will be more gems coming through from the boys currently playing in the reserves, some of whom are already on contract in their second season of reserve team rugby, as Ben, Chris and Scott were last year.

“At this stage of their development a lot hinges on the players themselves — whether they have the desire to make it; whether they are prepared to make sacrifices; whether they are prepared to commit themselves to all the hard work that progress up the ladder inevitably entails.

“Chris, Scott and Ben demonstrated all those qualities in abundance and it was as a result of that — as well as rugby ability, obviously — that they became professionals and then graduated to the first team squad.

“We are also delighted to give opportunities to young players who have come to us from other clubs.

“Danny Whitmore, Joe Chandler, Ben Mellor and Kashley Watkins are only slightly older than the other three and they are also playing first-team rugby for the first time.

“They are all first team squad members — Danny and Joe have figured regularly — yet in rugby league terms and the wider picture they are just babies.

“Anyone who has played the game will tell you that the jump from reserve team rugby at any level of the sport to first team rugby in either of the Championship divisions is a massive one.”