York City Knights season review 2012: Press Player of Year praise for Jack Aldous (From York Press)

York City Knights season review 2012: Press Player of Year praise for Jack Aldous

11:00am Saturday 8th September 2012 in Sport By Peter Martini, peter.martini@thepress.co.uk

ASSISTANT-BOSS Mick Ramsden has lauded the non-stop efforts of Jack Aldous after the front-rower was named The Press Player of the Year for 2012.

Signed from Hull’s academy over the winter, the 21-year-old was expected to play second fiddle in the forwards to more notable acquisitions such as Paul King, James Houston and Adam Sullivan as well club captain Alex Benson.

But instead he was a first-team regular, and one of few to maintain consistently high levels, especially for a youngster in his debut Championship season.

Injuries to King and Houston, plus Benson’s exit, meant Aldous and Sullivan bore the bulk of pack responsibility, but both stood up to the challenge, finishing clear in first and second on the Player of the Year leaderboard.

Ramsden said: “I would probably have picked Jack as one of my players of the season, probably him and Adam Sullivan.

“There have been quite a few times where we’ve struggled and he’s had to do long minutes up front, but you can rely on him to do a good job for long periods.”

Aldous, like Sullivan, is among those players contracted for 2013. Ramsden added: “He’s got a great engine. He’s not spectacular but he’s always in the thick of the action. He’s happy to take a hit-up if not two in every set and is always doing the work. He doesn’t miss many tackles either.”

Aldous finished one point ahead of Sullivan, who closed the gap with a man-of-the-match display (3pts) in the last game of term against Hunslet. Seven points further back, was departing player-boss Chris Thorman, who took three bonus points as The Press Player of the Month for August.

Recent recruit Dario Esposito was deemed our second-best player last week (2pts) and Matt Garside (1pt) added to his tally on his last appearance for the club.

The Press Player of the Year standings: Aldous 23pts, Sullivan 22, Thorman 15, Ford 13, Davies 12, King 9, Bush 8, Garside 7, Tansey 7, Clarke 7, Lee 6, Elliott 4, Sutton 4, Green 3, Hellewell 3, Turner 3, Freer 3, Houston 3, Johnson 3, Brining 3, Esposito 3, Nicklas 2, Smith 1, Carter 1.