#rlchampionships

Dewsbury Rams stand-off Aaron Brown is the inaugural Premier Sports Championship Player of the Week, in a new series of accolades that will also shape the competition’s end-of-season awards.

Brown produced a sparkling first team debut in the Rams’ 22-16 win at Doncaster, a performance that also puts him in early pole position for the Championship Player of the Year award at the end of the season.

Every week every coach in the Championship - and Championship One once it begins - will be consulted to help select both a Premier Sports Team of the Week and Player of the Week.

A top-three will then be formed for the individual award, with the points awarded counting towards the Championship’s player of the year accolade later this year.

The weekly awards will also see a team performance and try of the round selected, while inclusion in the Premier Sports Team of the Week will count towards the end-of-season selections for the two competitions.

Premier Sports Player of the Week – Aaron Brown (Dewsbury Rams)

Aaron Brown’s two tries helped Dewsbury secure a 22-16 win at Doncaster, but it was his all-round performance that most impressed.

Rams coach Glenn Morrison said: “Aaron was head and shoulders above everyone on the park. He scored two tries, set another one up and was defensively outstanding. He’s everything you’d want in a stand-off.

“He did so many little one-per-centers that only coaches would pick up. He’s a great talent, but he also wants to learn and do everything right. He wants to be a Super League player, and he’ll do everything for his mates next to him. He’s a 100 per cent player.”

Player of the Season points, Week One

3 points – Aaron Brown (Dewsbury Rams)

2 points – Miles Greenwood (Batley Bulldogs)

1 point – Steve Crossley (Featherstone Rovers)

Premier Sports Performance of the Week – Workington Town

Led by the outstanding Peter Lupton, who only narrowly missed out on Team of the Week selection, newly-promoted Workington Town claimed a 14-10 win against a Swinton side which featured last year’s Super League Grand Finalist Paul Wood.

Town coach Gary Charlton said: “Any away win in this league is a bonus and I think everybody understands that.

“We defended really well, showed plenty of enthusiasm and effort, and it’s surprising what you can do when you put your minds to it.

“The bad weather has meant we’ve only had one training session with the ball in hand, so to go away and win like that is an excellent effort.”

Premier Sports Try of the Week – Miles Greenwood (Batley Bulldogs)

Batley Bulldogs full-back Miles Greenwood scored a sparkling hat-trick of tries against Keighley Cougars on Sunday – with his third, in the 44thminute, the pick. His coach John Kear explained: “Alex Walmsley carried the ball very strongly, shifted one Keighley defender and broke the line going uphill, which is difficult in itself. He drew the full-back and released Miles, who then beat two or three Keighley defenders with great evasive skills. It was a very good try.”

Premier Sports Championship Team of the Week

1 Miles Greenwood (Batley Bulldogs)

2 Tom Hodson (Featherstone Rovers)

3 Jimmy Keinhorst (Hunslet Hawks)

4 Liam Welham (Hunslet Hawks)

5 Greg Johnson (Batley Bulldogs)

6 Aaron Brown (Dewsbury Rams)

7 Liam Finn (Featherstone Rovers)

8 Steve Crossley (Featherstone Rovers)

9 Callum Phillips (Workington Town)

10 Dave Houghton (Whitehaven)

11 Ross Divorty (Halifax)

12 Jarrad Stack (Workington Town)

13 Scott Murrell (Halifax)