Dewsbury Rams Head Coach Neil Kelly was proud of his players efforts against Tornto Wolfpack.
The Rams were defeated 12-23 on the day at the Tetely’s stadium, however Kelly insisted that he thought his side showed a lot of determination throughout the game.
On the loss, Kelly said: “Perversely the players are disappointed, not with their efforts because they know they have given Toronto a good game. However they are disappointed that they didn’t make more of their efforts, and I think that speaks volumes for them as players.
“Everyone can see the effort they are putting in, everyone can see the commitment the players put in. We have given a good side a tough game, I can’t argue with five tries for two.
“However it is testament to the players that are in the changing rooms that they are disappointed with their efforts.
“We sometimes allowed them to control the pace of the game, sometimes we didn’t earn enough good field position in their twenty two, then maybe you can ask more questions of their defence.
“I have to come back to though, the overall commitment in the dressing room has been brilliant.
“There is massive individual positives to take from the game, but one thing we don’t want to be is always a gutsy team who loses.
“I thought Kyle Trout performed superbly today, and he was backed up by Paul Sykes who has been immense over the last few weeks.”
Kelly gave an update on the injury front: “I had to leave players out who had some injuries, most notably Jode Sherrife who will hopefully be back next week, he was a big miss today. Michael Knowles was left out, but hopefully he’ll be back next week. I left Dale Morton out as a precaution but I thought Gareth Potts did well.
“There are players to come back in from injury, but the ones who have played against Toronto have staked a claim to play next week too.”
The Rams face Halifax next week at the Tetley’s Stadium, and Kelly believes that the team is now heading into a set of fixtures which are more winnable.
He said: “All the time I have been saying recently that we have been going through a tough run of fixtures. Now we are entering into a group of fixtures that are as equally as though, but they are more winnable.
“We are at home next week and we want to win, like we did today, but Halifax have done well. They have beaten a side who are in that full time category of clubs, so next week will be no easier.
“I don’t want the players to take next week any easier, but if we build on the effort and commitment they have shown today and erned that field position then we can ask more questions, then we’ll look forward to hopefully getting a win.”
