Barrow Raiders coach Paul Crarey has revealed the full lengths Jamie Dallimore went to in order to prove his innocence over a recent biting charge.
Dallimore was cited for an alleged bite in the recent defeat to Keighley, an offence that could have carried a ban of between four and eight games. He had to face an RFL Disciplinary tribunal, but was subsequently found not guilty, and went on to put in a man of the match display against Coventry the following weekend.
“Jamie was adamant from the start that he didn’t do it and the video was inconclusive,” said Crarey.
“The other player was perhaps over aggressive on the floor which could have resulted in the marks.
“Jamie actually paid for a bite specialist to have a look at the marks and spent quite a bit of money to have a forensic bite analysts that works for the police force to have a look at it.
“Nothing was conclusive and that evidence was massive in the verdict and I am glad they listened to both sides and came up with the right decision.
“Jamie was devastated that he was even pulled up for it and that it went as far as it did. But he stuck to his guns, got the evidence and went and cleared his name in front of everyone.
“He got a lot of stick on social media and even some threats from it, so it was a difficult period for him. To the go out and put in a man of the match performance against Coventry was outstanding for him.
“It was like a big weight had been lifted from his shoulders.”
WORKINGTON TOWN coach Chris Thorman is confident his players will be fit and raring to go whenever they finally get back on the field.
Town were due to return to action after three weeks off when Barrow travelled to Derwent Park. But a number of positive Covid-19 cases at the Raiders saw Workington suffer their third match postponement in a row.
They are scheduled to travel to Keighley Cougars on Sunday – their first game since the win over West Wales Raiders on July 4.
“We’ll be prepared for it whenever we can next play,” said Thorman.
“It has been a bit of a rollercoaster of a month. We’d just got into some form and then Covid struck, and then it got Rochdale too.
“Rugby League is about momentum but right now it’s very difficult to get any sort of momentum going, especially with part-time players when we’re not in each other’s company every day.
“We’d by no means have had the best preparation for the Barrow game, but we just want to play, that’s what we’re here to do.
“I have got a group of players that have standards and accountability. They know what to do away from the club when we can’t be in each other’s company due to Covid. They did it throughout 2020, so they have handled all the disruption of the last few weeks the same as they handled it last year.
“This group might be young and inexperienced, but they are professional and they are accountable for themselves. It just proves we have the right people at the club and I know that whenever we are asked to play again, they’ll be ready to go.”
HUNSLET coach Alan Kilshaw has added more new faces to his side as he looks to continue to stamp his mark on his inherited squad.
Kilshaw arrived at the South Leeds stadium late last month and quickly started to make changes by bringing in Reece Chapman-Smith and Frazer Morris within his first week.
This duo has now been joined by Featherstone’s Joe Summers and hooker Harvey Whiteley from NCL outlet Oulton Raiders.
Summers, a back-row or front-row forward, featured in Rovers’ AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Final victory over York City Knights at Wembley last month and joins on loan until the end of the season. He will offer perfect cover for Brad Hey, who picked up an ankle injury in the draw against Keighley Cougars.
Whiteley, who has professional experience with Leeds Rhinos and Dewsbury Rams, has also singed a deal until the end of the year, while current loanee Lewis Young, who joined the club in June, will also remain at the South Leeds Stadium for the remainder of the season.
“Even before last Sunday I thought we were a little light in the back row and Brad’s injury only escalated our need to strengthen the squad,” said Kilshaw.
“Joe comes with some big raps. He reminds me a lot of the young Joe Philbin, with whom I’ve worked. He will add depth to that area, and he is a great strike option on the edges. We’re grateful to Ian Hardman and James Webster at Featherstone Rovers for allowing the deal to go through, and for encouraging Joe to get some game-time elsewhere.
“Lewis Young is a player I’ve admired for a few seasons now. I tried to sign him several times when I was at Rochdale Hornets and he once told me he was going to Australia – only to stay with Newcastle. But I will forgive him if he can perform to his potential with us to the end of the season.
“Harvey had fallen out of the professional game but thanks to clubs like Oulton – and hardworking volunteers such as Raiders coach Craig Oliver – lads like him have a platform on which they can showcase their skills and illustrate why they should be playing at League 1 level.
“I’m looking forward to working with Harvey and continuing his development. His signing adds depth to our hooking options and increases competition for places.”
“With these signings –- following quickly on that of Reece Chapman-Smith – we are back up to a decent number of players. With others to return, our supporters can look forward to a strong back-end to the season.”
NORTH WALES CRUSADERS have taken a third youngster on loan from Championship outfit Bradford Bulls.
Hooker Cameron Berry is the latest Bulls player to arrive at the Crusaders and links up with Matty Race and Ethan O’Hanlon, who are already part of coach Anthony Murray’s squad.
“Brad Billsborough has an injury to his finger and looks like he’ll be out for the next three to four weeks so Matty adds a bit of cover there,” said Murray, who got to see Race and Berry inaction for the first time on Sunday..
“But we also needed to strengthen around the hooking area so I am excited to see what Cameron will bring to the team.
“All three of the players that have come from Bradford have come with a great attitude and Ethan has already done really well for us so hopefully Matty and Cameron can follow suit.
“We were looking for players and when Ethan had come in with a really good attitude and played really well, we just asked Bradford again if they had any more young players they wanted to give some game time to.
“We told them the positions we were looking to strengthen and these two were offered to us and we jumped on the chance to get them in.”
ROCHDALE HORNETS chairman Andy Mazey has said the return of fans has given his side an extra boost that can be seen in recent results.
Prior to Sunday’s clash with Keighley Cougars, the Hornets had turned around a slow start to the season by winning three straight matches against West Wales Raiders, London Skolars and North Wales Crusaders.
The latter two matches were played in front of a home crowd of over 1,000 after the club launched a new initiative that sees all junior players at local community clubs admitted free, with complimentary tickets made available to parents, volunteers and coaches.
“We’ve had some really positive results from the initiatives we’ve been running on the crowds and getting new people and new faces down to the ground,” said Mazey.
“Having that support behind us really helps and it does make a big difference to the players. Having those people behind you gives everyone a real boost.
“That’s happening at the same time as we feel we’re starting to show a bit of form. We’ve put three wins together on the bounce and now going into a crucial period for next couple of months as we hopefully head towards making the play-offs
“It was important we started to show a bit of form and getting some results so it’s great we’re doing that.”
Meanwhile, the club have confirmed the loan signing of Newcastle Thunder back Reece Dean, who came through the ranks at Hull FC before spells with Toronto Wolfpack, Doncaster and Hunslet.
“I’m really pleased to have reached agreement with Newcastle to bring Reece to the club on loan.
“Reece is a talented and very exciting half-back who knows the League 1 competition well, so his arrival is a timely boost to Matt Calland and the team.”
KEIGHLEY COUGARS coach Rhys Lovegrove knows there will not be much room for error from his side as win percentage starts to take on even more importance.
With more fixtures called off across the whole game at the weekend, including one more in League 1, it is looking highly unlikely any of the three professional tables will evenly tally this season.
“Keeping our win percentage as high as possible is huge now,” Lovegrove told the club’s Facebook page after the 20-all draw at Hunslet.
“It’s important to keep that ticking over.
“There are certain aspects of things at the moment that we can’t control. All we can do is keep turning up, making sure the players are fit and healthy and that their family’s are safe.
“If they’re as happy as possible, we can try and get some performances on the field, which will result in some decent wins and keep our win percentage high, which will be crucial.”
DONCASTER could dip into the loan market once again ahead of the final couple of months of the season according to chief executive Carl Hall.
That could include a new loan spell for Sheffield’s Jordan Bull, who failed to make an appearance for the club during an initial two-week move.
He arrived at the Dons just days before the trip to the capital to face London Skolars so did not make the match-day 17, and he also missed out when the following game against North Wales Crusaders was postponed due to Covid case numbers.
“We may have to strengthen for the second half of the season and we are looking around,” said Hall.
“There are a lot of clubs in the same boat as well, but we’re definitely in the market to try and add some more players ahead of the run in.
“I’ll be speaking with Mark Aston too to see if we can extended Jordan’s loan because he hasn’t had the chance to play for us yet, so we’ll see what we can do there.”
COVENTRY BEARS might have lost the services of Bradley Ho, but director of rugby Alan Robinson knows the short time the prop has spent with the club has benefitted all parties.
Ho joined the Bears on loan from Bradford Bulls in April and was an ever present in the side until his move back to his parent club late last month.
“Brad is a young and enthusiastic middle that wanted to learn a bit more of his trade,” said Robinson.
“By playing regularly in League 1 I think he has done that and hopefully he’s gone back to Bradford better for his time here.
“For us to be able to have a player like that available and help him on his way has been beneficial to us, the Bulls and Brad.
“It was a shame to see him go, but we all wished him the best. We’re all behind him and know we’ve played a part in his journey.”
WEST WALES RAIDERS coach Aaron Wood believes there is still a lot more to come from promising half back Callum Merrett, who recently joined the club following a successful trial.
The 23-year-old made a try-scoring debut against Rochdale Hornets last month and Wood has been left pleased with the early showing from his new recruit.
“Callum played at Coventry a couple of years ago so has experience of League 1,” said Wood.
“He was at the All Golds, but wanted to come across to train and have a trial with us so we gave him that chance.
“He has got a very good skill set and is a seven that runs the ball. You can’t knock ball-running sevens – it makes them even more dangerous. He’s skinny but strong and he’s fast. I think some people will underestimate him.
“He knows there is still parts of his game that he has got to work on and get better. But he wants to learn and he wants to keep getting better.”
LONDON SKOLARS coach Jermaine Coleman has admitted the recent acquisition of Alex Davidson and Chris Ball couldn’t have come at a better time.
The duo made their debuts against Doncaster in the Friday Night Lights game and then featured against West Wales Raiders the following week.
While Davidson has joined until the end of the season, Ball was initially on a two-week loan from Sheffield Eagles, with an option to extend the deal.
“It was the perfect time for those guy to arrive,” admitted Coleman.
“We’d have struggled to get a team out against Doncaster if we didn’t bring them in.
“They been going really well as well.
“Alex has fallen out the game but is now back, so he has that little bit of experience and nouse in the middle and once he gets his lungs back together I’m sure he’ll be in a good position to push on.
“Chris is young, talented and has a lot to offer. He has a lot of potential and it’s going to do him the world of good playing a number of fixtures at League 1 level before stepping back up to Championship.”
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