Two of Cougar’s back row forwards, Greg Nicholson and Ollie Pursglove, are leading the race for the club’s ‘Most improved Player of the Year’ award.

That’s the verdict of the Keighley Head Coach Barry Eaton.

And as the Co-operative Championship One season moves into its last third he believes both players are running neck and neck in his form book.

Head Coach Eaton took time out of his preparations for Sunday’s away game at Oldham to run an appreciative eye over the two 23-year-old pack stars.

First he turned the spotlight on Greg Nicholson by saying: “Greg’s really stepped up to the plate this season.

“Until he hurt his back in the home game against Swinton he was flying and I’m sure that once he regains his fitness he’ll reproduce that kind of form. His work rate is enormous.

“I can’t quite put my finger on why it should suddenly have happened for Greg the way it has. It could well have been because we signed Carl Hughes in the close season and thought that he would have to compete for a place in the side.

“When Carl was injured in last Christmas’s cross code game against Bradford and Bingley rugby union club, Greg stepped into the gap magnificently”.

Eaton was responsible for signing Nicholson from Featherstone Rovers. Barry explained: “ When I took over as Head Coach I knew that Greg had been playing fairly regularly in their first team when he was an 18 and 19-year-old but had lost out when Rovers changed their recruitment policy three or four years ago.

“He’s small for a back row forward but this year he’s succeeded in putting on some bulk, and keeping it on, and that’s made a big difference to him.

“Such has been the improvement in his form that he’s succeeded in earning great respect from his teammates in the dressing room and from other clubs in the game.

He and Ollie have emerged as significant players with the Cougars this year and Greg has established a platform which to build his career.

“His next challenge is to add power to his enormous work ethic. But what ever happens he’s been one of the fast track developers so far this season”.

Then Eaton, whose Cougars team is currently running second in the Championship one table, switched his attention to Ollie Pursglove.

“Ollie’s made a real success of switching from the centre to the second row,” said the Cougar boss.

“The way he plays the game encouraged me to move him from the three-quarters to the forward pack and he’s fully justified my faith in him.”

Eaton’s assessment of former Cougar Cub Pursglove is interesting. He explains: “Ollie’s physique compares with those players at the top end of the Championship and in Super League.

“He does produce power and the temptation is to use him as a ‘battering ram’.

“But Ollie’s a quick learner. We’re working on his game every week. He’s got good hands and feet and if he can develop those assets he’ll be an even better player.

“He played in the centre all last season and has done well in the pack. And, if he continues to develop his game, I’m not ruling out a return to the centre at some stage in his career”.

Eaton acknowledged that the race for the Cougar Park club’s ‘Most Improved’ title is intriguing.

“Other players have still got time to stake their claim but in fairness these two young guys are the front runners by a long way.

“Their improvement is one of the reasons that we’re in the running for a play-off spot and that together with the way they work within the team is a massive bonus for us.

“Both players are still very young, have great ‘motors’ and have the opportunity to improve still further. That’s an exciting prospect for me and the rest of the Coaching staff at Cougar Park”.