11:36am Tuesday 14th August 2012
By Peter Martini
TYLER CRAIG has a big future at York City Knights according to assistant-boss Mick Ramsden – and that includes taking over from Chris Thorman as all-round fitness test champion.
The Heworth ARLC product, who turned 19 last month, made his first start for the Knights in Sunday’s defeat at Championship big guns Halifax, having made his debut as a substitute at Keighley last month.
In between times Craig, pictured, was named Player of the Tour on the English Under-18s Lions’ two-match trip to Lebanon.
Ramsden said: “It’s been a rapid rise to the first team for Tyler.
“He made his debut away to Keighley Cougars, then went away to Lebanon and got the Player of the Tour award there, and he’s come back in at half-back with us.
“He was thrown in at half-back, with all the responsibility that position brings, but he showed some decent touches.
“He’s probably not a half-back. My biggest concern this week was his accuracy and weighting of his passing.
“Some of his balls were floating a bit – we expected that but he can only get better.
“I probably see his future at loose-forward. Once we get a bit more muscle on his frame he will have a lot of attributes. He’s got a big future.”Ramsden also revealed Craig was currently the quickest player on the books over 30 metres – not including those currently sidelined by injury – and is set to take Thorman’s long-held mantle of fittest player too when the latter exits Huntington Stadium to take up his role as assistant-boss at Huddersfield at the end of the season.
“Tyler is one of our best trainers. If you take Chris Thorman, who’s top at everything, he wins all the fitness tests we do. He’s skilful as well,” said Ramsden.
“He’s quick, he’s strong and he possesses skill, and he’s professional with the way he goes about things.
“We had a sprint challenge last week over 30 metres and Tyler Craig won it. He wins all the long-distance races too. Put muscle on him and keep that pace – he’ll be some player.
“It’s great we’ve got him on a two-year contract.”
Meanwhile, Craig’s eligibility for the English Lions U18s tour has been explained by a Rugby Football League spokesman.
She said Craig was too old for the Knights U18s this year but the representative squad’s trip to Lebanon had been delayed by a year and Craig was allowed to keep his selection from 2011.
They played against U20s teams anyway.
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