IT'S probably fair to say the Knights dual-registration partnership with Castleford has been better than last year's with Hull - and Ben Reynolds has played no small part in that.

The full-back-cum-half-back had to wait his turn but - without a hint of a Hull-esque strop - knuckled down before cementing a spot with a string of excellent displays.

Few were better than that in last Sunday's win over Oldham when he was named the Championship One player of the week. He was our man of the match, too, and the three points that garnered lifted him to second in The Press Player of the Year leaderboard.

He was joined there by Jack Aldous, our second-best player (2pts), while Colton Roche was our third best (1pt), amid a fine team show.

Brad Day has also been a hit since his arrival on dual-reg, and picked up three and one points respectively in his first two outings at London Skolars and Oxford, as well as five tries.

Other points winners against Skolars were James Haynes (2) and Ben Dent (1). Against Oxford they were Ed Smith (3) and Dent (2), who scored that super solo try.

The Press Player of the Year standings: Lee 18pts, Reynolds 14, Aldous 14, P Smith 11, Haynes 11, E Smith 7, Saltonstall 7, B Dent 6, Paterson 5, Brennan 4, Presley 4, Morrison 4, Day 4, Pickets 3, Bell 3, B Hardcastle 2, Minikin 1, Mallinder 1, Roche 1.

IT'S Player of the Month time for July - and what a month it's been with the increasingly impressive victories over the Skolars, Oxford and Oldham. Email votes to peter.martini@thepress.co.uk or visit Player of the Month.