SIX DAYS TO GO . . . and with surprise news from Cougar Park that half-back and goal-kicker Jack Miller has taken over as club captain from experienced hooker Kyle Kesik, who has led the side for the past two seasons.
Miller, the former Castleford Tigers, Featherstone Rovers, Huddersfield Giants, Queanbeyan (Australia) and Doncaster half, will skipper Keighley for the first time when they open our Betfred League One campaign at the Vestacare Stadium on Sunday (3pm), writes ROGER HALSTEAD.
He had an excellent first season at Cougar Park in 2021, but coach Rhys Lovegrove’s decision to throw him the captain’s arm-band was still a big talking point in Bronte Country, given that Lovegrove had at his disposal three experienced players who can claim to be right up there in the League One pecking order when comparing the quality of CVs.
Did you know . . .
THAT centre Jake Webster, still scoring tries and splitting defences at the age of 38, played for Melbourne Storm and Gold Coast Titans in the NRL before coming to England and crossing for 79 tries with Castleford and Hull KR in more than 200 Super League appearances ? Chuck in eight Tests for New Zealand and this Cougar is a Big Cat with a Big Roar, admittedly at the back end of a distinguished career.
THAT stand-off or loose-forward Scott Murrell, another golden oldie at 36, played nearly 150 Super League games, mainly with Hull KR, before becoming mastermind of the Halifax side in the Championship ? If he plays at stand-off on Sunday, the battle of the Brains Trust between Murrell and our very own Martyn Ridyard should be worth the admission money alone.
THAT utility forward Branden Santi is a 28-year-old maverick, born in Australia of Italian descent. He numbers Wests Tigers, Parramatta Eels, Toulouse Olympique and Newcastle Thunder among previous clubs ? He never got a look-in at Parramatta following a change of coach soon after his arrival but nobody can take away from him the fact that he was signed on a two-year deal by the famous Ricky Stuart following his captaincy of the crack Aussie schoolboys side in 2011 and his selection soon afterwards for New South Wales under-20s. Later on his career he played 11 times for Italy, featuring in two World Cups.
This hugely talented trio of old heads formed what used to be known as the back three — two second-rowers and loose — in the Keighley starting line-up when we won there recently in a pre-season game, but whether they will keep those positions on Sunday, or whether Santi will be at prop, Webster in the centre and Murrell at six is still not known.
If anyone had to succeed Kesik as captain you would imagine it would have been one of those, but the boss must have his own reasons for opting for Miller who by all accounts had a great season last year and was certainly one of their better players when we won there a fortnight ago.
Last year they finished fourth in League One behind Barrow Raiders, Workington Town and North Wales Crusaders with 11 wins and a draw from 18 games.
In the play-offs they won 28-14 in North Wales, where Santi was named by League Express as the Cougars’ star man, but lost 18-16 at Workington after golden-point extra time and then bowed out when pipped 28-26 at home to Doncaster in the Preliminary Final.
So far this year they have hardly distinguished themselves, losing 22-6 at Hunslet in the Challenge Cup and going down in pre-season friendlies, first to Roughyeds and then to Swinton Lions.
The bookies still put them in the top two or three when laying odds.
The first League One game of the season at the Vestacare Stadium on Sunday has all the makings of a Mothers’ Day cracker. Hope to see you there with your Mum on her special day.
