DEWSBURY RAMS coach Paul March says he is benefitting from a brotherly bonus as he plots a second-tier surge – and a Challenge Cup run.
Having kicked off their league campaign by winning 20-12 at nearby Hunslet, the FLAIR Stadium side saw off amateur aces West Hull, last year’s National Conference League champions, 32-10 in the cup to clinch a third-round trip to Oldham on Sunday.
At the heart of both victories were the McShane brothers, fullback Craig and hooker Jack, who are both going into their second seasons in the professional ranks after earning England honours at community-game level.
March, renowned for his knowledge of the amateur scene, plucked the pair from Hunslet ARLFC after they helped that club win the old NCL title for two seasons running.
They also contributed to the 2022 NCL Grand Final triumph of Hunslet Parkside, who then merged with Hunslet Warriors to form ARLFC.
Craig, 27, scored four tries in 19 Dewsbury appearances last season while Jack, 25, notched six in 21.
March feels Dewsbury’s flexible approach helped lure the duo, explaining: “When you work to a tight budget like we do, you sometimes have to think of other ways of encouraging players to come.
“Craig works away a lot, and that means he can’t commit to every training session, which might not suit some coaches.
“We have been able to give him that bit of flexibility, tailoring his sessions, and like Jack, he has thrived.
“The pair of them had been consistently good in the amateurs, and I knew Jack wanted the opportunity to test himself at the next level.
“We ended up getting Craig as well, and the two of them were great for us last season and I’m sure will be great again this time.”
Dewsbury’s recruits ahead of the current campaign included hooker Dave Benson from Kippax Welfare, who were Yorkshire Men’s League members last season.
He previously spent time in the development systems of Leeds, Castleford and Bradford.