Early Kingtone Press Championship pacesetters Dewsbury Rams have further strengthened their squad, with the signings of Lucas Walshaw and Ewan Dowes.
Walshaw – who featured in the opening three rounds of the season for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats – has joined on an initial one-month loan. The 21-year-old has signed in time to make his debut for the club in their Tetley’s Challenge Cup clash with West Hull this weekend.
However, it is the signing of Dowes that is perhaps an even bigger statement of intent from Glenn Morrison’s Rams. The former Hull FC man has been lured out of retirement by Morrison to sign a contract for the remainder of the season, after previously having a spell with Workington.
The 33-year-old has had an impressive career, and was part of the Airlie Birds side that lifted the Challenge Cup back in 2005 and, ironically, he will also make his debut against West Hull this weekend.
Dowes also believes the club is more than capable of challenging at the top end of the division this year – after a strong start which has yielded 10 points from a possible 12 so far in 2014.
“I’m really looking forward to this season,” he told the Hull Daily Mail.
“I know a lot of the Dewsbury lads, and it’s great being back in that team environment. The competition is also a really tough one this year.
“We’ve a good squad here, one which I hope can be challenging for honours and we’ll be focused on getting through to the next round of the cup.”
