Rowe and Lepori named Premier Sports POTW
Batley Bulldogs prop Alex Rowe and Oldham full-back Richard Lepori are the Premier Sports Players of the Week.
Rowe was outstanding as Batley ended a six-match losing streak with a 46-6 victory at Keighley Cougars, while Lepori scored three tries against London Skolars as Oldham maintained their position at the top of the Kingstone Press Championship One.
Both players record the maximum five points towards their respective competition’s Player of the Year award at the end of the season.
Every week each coach in the Championship and Championship One is contacted to help compile the Premier Sports awards.
Premier Sports Championship Player of the Week – Alex Rowe (Batley Bulldogs)
Batley Bulldogs bounced back into form after six straight defeats – with prop Alex Rowe setting the platform for an emphatic 46-6 win at Keighley Cougars.
Rowe played in three stints and caused the Keighley defence problems all afternoon.
Bulldogs coach John Kear said: “Alex played long minutes and was absolutely brutal in his carries and his defensive work.
“We’d spoken about a few things he needed to improve on and he took them all on board.
“Him and our forward pack were the basis of our halfbacks dictating the game.”
Premier Sports Championship One Player of the Week – Richard Lepori
Oldham full-back Richard Lepori claimed his second hat-trick in eight days to help Scott Naylor’s men emerge 44-24 winners at London Skolars.
Lepori scored three times for Italy against Germany last week, and backed up that effort with a treble in the capital.
Oldham coach Naylor said: “Richard’s very explosive. Once he gets on the other side of the line and he gets one on one with the opposition full-back, you get a try eight times out of 10.
“I’ve known him a long time – I worked with him when he was a kid at Salford – and he’s in a rich vein of form.
“He scored some nice tries against the Skolars. They were probably made by the work our pack put in, but they all needed finishing.”
Championship Player of the Year award
Quentin Laulu-Togagae and Aaron Brown have both closed the gap on long-term leader Mitchell Stringer in the Player of the Year award.
Player of the Week Alex Rowe picks up his first points of the season, while Leigh’s Stuart Littler also climbs the table.
5 points – Alex Rowe (Batley Bulldogs)
4 points – Quentin Laulu-Togagae (Sheffield Eagles)
3 points – Aaron Brown (Dewsbury Rams)
2 points – Stuart Littler (Leigh Centurions)
1 point – Dave Scott (Doncaster)
Championship Player of the Year table
1. Mitchell Stringer (15 points)
2. Quentin Laulu-Togagae (13 points)
3. Aaron Brown (12 points)
Championship One Player of the Year award
Oldham’s Richard Lepori and North Wales Crusaders forward Jono Smith are now just two points adrift of leaders Mike Bishay and Stuart Reardon in the Player of the Year rankings. Lepori collected five points for his outstanding display against London Skolars, while Smith earned three points for his part in the Crusaders’ narrow win at Gateshead.
5 points – Richard Lepori (Oldham)
4 points – Danny Yates (Rochdale Hornets)
3 points – Jono Smith (North Wales Crusaders)
2 points – Chad Sharp (Hemel Stags)
1 point – Omari Caro (Gateshead Thunder)
Championship One Player of the Year table
1. Mike Bishay (10 points)
Stuart Reardon (10 points)
3. Gary Middlehurst (9 points)
