YORK Knights head coach Andrew Henderson has praised the performances of both hooker Josh Daley and stand-in full-back Joe Brown.

The pair both impressed in the Knights’ 40-0 Betfred Championship triumph at newly-promoted Swinton Lions on Sunday afternoon, with Brown finishing the match with two tries and an assist, and Daley crossing for the opening score of the second half.

Daley has hit the ground running since his off-season switch from NSW Cup outfit Mount Prichard Mounties, while Brown is proving a more than capable replacement for Matty Marsh, who suffered an elbow injury in the Knights’ 32-16 victory at home to Bradford Bulls in Round Two, at full back.

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Brown was awarded the Man of the Match by The Press, with Henderson admitting that both he and Daley are players who are “getting better as each game goes on”.

“[Joe Brown] has been outstanding for us,” Henderson enthused. “I think he’s really growing into that full-back role.

“I’ve not had a lot of time to work with him in that role, but I did use him a little bit in pre-season at times because I thought ‘if Marsh was to go down or be unavailable, who would I put in there?’

“I identified Joe as someone that I felt could do a job at full-back for us, and I think he’s been great in that position since he’s been in there.

“I think he is getting better as each game goes on as he’s understanding the role more as well.

“I think positionally, he’s been great. He’s getting the numbers right defensively and he adds a different dynamic in terms of the attacking threat as well.

“He’s a slightly different player to Matty Marsh. I think what they have is slightly different.

“Matty’s got probably more of that pass threat, we can play that short or long ball, and Browny hasn’t quite got that in his locker just yet.

“But what he does give is a genuine run for it, and I think we’ve seen that on occasions.”

The stand-in full-back crossed for the pick of the tries on Sunday, finishing a sublime move straight off the training pitch after collecting half-back Ata Hingano’s flicked reverse pass.

And Henderson was delighted to see the move put into action during a game situation.

“I’m just really pleased we got to put it into practice,” he admitted.

“It’s one play that I’ve wanted to use, and I was just really pleased that the boys were in the right field position to execute it, and they timed their runs to perfection.

“I thought Browny finished that try really, really well.”

Impact hooker Daley was another standout for Henderson’s Knights against a poor Swinton side, and certainly made his presence from among the interchanges felt.

“I brought him on at the right time and again he has done a fantastic job for us,” Henderson said.

“He looks really lively out of dummy half and a genuine threat for us around the ruck.

“He gives you a different dynamic around that ruck area. That’s not to say that Jubby [starting hooker Will Jubb] isn’t a threat, but it’s a different threat.

“He’s been good and he’s getting better as each week goes on, that’s for sure.”