Dewsbury Rams: Coe on fast track to the first team owing to early-season injuries

Rams, who have lost their opening three Kingstone Press Championship matches and are facing a mounting injury list, have signed Coe from amateur club West Bowling.

Dewsbury coach Glenn Morrison said: “He is a former Bradford Bulls academy junior. My son plays at West Bowling and I’ve seen him [Coe] play a few times. We had him playing with [Rams’ partner club] Hemel Stags in pre-season matches and we’ve now signed him. He is not a short-term solution, he is more of a long-term project, but we may have to throw him in at the deep end and get him learning on the run.”

Loose-forward Aaron Brown is due to undergo surgery on an ear which will lead to a six-week lay-off.

Morrison said scrum-half Dom Speakman also needs an operation after suffering a broken thumb during last weekend’s 58-2 loss at Toulouse Olympique.

The coach revealed centre Jason Crookes (suspected broken leg) and substitute Jack Teanby (ankle) were both set for x-rays after being hurt in France and Rams could be down to 13 fit players for Sunday’s visit of London Broncos.

Morrison was pleased with his forwards’ effort against Toulouse, but admitted: “We were a long way off in the halves and full-back, the creative areas.”