DEWSBURY RAMS coach Paul March hailed recent recruit Bailey O’Connor as he set his sights on a second win of the league campaign at home to Keighley on Sunday.
The 23-year-old centre started a second spell with the FLAIR Stadium side when he left crisis club Featherstone following their failure to gain RFL membership and therefore a Championship berth for this year.
O’Connor, who previously played for Dewsbury in 2023, when he joined from amateurs Lock Lane, and 2024, featuring 39 times in all, scoring 14 tries and slotting two goals, made his second Dewsbury debut in the opening-round 20-12 victory at Hunslet.
He notched his team’s opening try at the South Leeds Stadium. And with regular kicker Jacob Hookem off the field for a head assessment, landed the long-range penalty-goal which provided an eight-point cushion with nine minutes remaining and helped the Rams get off to their bright start.
“We’ve got a lot of younger players, and while Bailey is only 23 himself, he’s a natural leader who the lads look up to,” said March.
“He’s a good player, one of the best centres in this competition, and a calm head who helps channel the effort and enthusiasm the younger ones bring.
“When Jacob Hookem had to go off, Bailey took charge and carried us around the field, and when we got the penalty, put his hand up to take it and put it over when the pressure was on.”
March, a former player-coach of both Hunslet and Keighley, was encouraged by the way his charges reacted to twice going behind, in the first and eleventh minutes.
“It could have been a long day, but the players kept their heads and worked their way back in with real intent,” he explained.
“We were good in those important effort areas.
“We showed we can deal with a real dogfight, but it’s only a start, and we won’t be getting carried away.”