
Featherstone assistant Jay Duffy has backed Anthony Thackeray to do the business for Featherstone in the absence of Martyn Ridyard and Tom Holmes.
The club confirmed on Sunday that Holmes was set to miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury, while Ridyard is set to be absent for an uncertain period of time with a shoulder problem.
Their injuries have left Featherstone without their first-choice halfbacks, but Thackeray stepped up to the plate with a superb performance as Rovers moved up to third with a 42-18 win over Dewsbury on Sunday.
The 32-year-old has played a utility role this season but shone in his preferred position, and Duffy backed him to retain his good form.
“He’s been around this league for a while now and we know the quality he’s got,” he said.
“He’s just got to back himself at times.
“There’s nothing better than Anthony Thackeray taking the line on. He’s got the speed and got the agility, he’s just got to back himself to do it a little bit more.”
The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for Fev, who are now third in the table with seven games remaining.
“It had been 40 days since we’d last won. Losing is as much of a habit as winning. There were a couple of nerves in the changing room before the game but we got out there, stripped everything back, made it a real simple gameplan and in the first half and parts of the second-half we were executing it well.”