Oldham’s prize guys

HALF-BACK Jamie Dallimore picked up two major prizes at the Oldham RL reserve team’s presentation night and admitted: “I owe it all to my dad.”

The 23-year-old former amateur international was awarded the Supporters’ player-of-the-year trophy, sponsored by Oldham Rugby Supporters’ Association, and also coach John Hough’s player-of-the-year trophy, backed by Doughty’s Gym of Shaw.

Dallimore, who played twice in the first team last season, has since signed a professional contract to cover 2012 together with three of his team mates from the championship-winning reserve side, loose-forward Alex Thompson, prop Danny Langtree and centre David Cookson.

He said: “I’m absolutely made up to win these awards, and I feel so proud.

“I’m grateful for the opportunities the club have given me, but I have to say my dad has been a big influence.

“When I left Warrington and Houghie (coach John Hough) gave me a ring, it was my dad who urged me to give it a try at Oldham.

“I hadn’t been here long and I was still a bit unsure, but once again my dad persuaded me to give it a bit longer. Now, I can’t thank him enough.”

Hough said 21-year-old Thompson had run Dallimore close for the top award, but the half-back edged it thanks to his consistency over the 10 months since the squad was assembled last autumn for pre-season training.

Thompson, though, got the backing of his peers in winning the players’ player-of-the-year trophy, sponsored by OHM Electrical Services.

Dallimore’s half-back partner, Tommy Connick, picked up a trophy as the most improved player of the year, sponsored by 7L7L.

Hough said: “We suffered a heavy defeat at Dewsbury early in the season and Paul Ashton and I sat down with the half-backs to look at what we could do to make sure we didn't cop another loss like that.

“We decided to give the players a bit more freedom to express themselves and from that point on Tommy became massively instrumental in how we played.”