Rugby League Coaching Manuals

Rugby League World Magazine, April 2009 Issue Out Now - Richard Horne has been named Super League Player of the Month by Rugby League World magazine and John Kear is Super League coach of the month.

Richard Horne was in brilliant form for Hull FC as they won their first three games of Super League XIV, picking up eight out of a possible nine points in the Albert Goldthorpe standings.
He was at the centre of Hull's 18-10 round one win over Wigan, scoring his 99th try for his home-town club.

In the 28-20 victory at Celtic Crusaders the following week he created two of Danny Tickle's hat-trick tries. And the 28-12 home win over Catalans in round three saw him cross for his 100th Hull try.

Hull had never before managed three wins on the bounce to open a Super League season.

The popular and influential halfback, who some supporters feared would never play again after an horrendous neck injury and being diagnosed with diabetes last season, has truly re-ignited his career.

John Kear guided unfancied Wakefield Trinity Wildcats into the top two of the Super League table.

A shock away win at Wigan, was backed up by comfortable home wins over Salford and Warrington, with a creditable defeat at Leeds in between.

Playing with eight, nine or ten key players absent would destroy some teams but not Wakefield and their ever-resourceful coach Kear, who has fashioned three wins from four games with Academy graduates tossed in, players playing out of position and an on-loan winger who can't stop scoring tries.

They even lost a prop and a halfback in the first 20 minutes against Warrington but hammered them anyway.

Whatever cards he's dealt, he seems to have the answer. That includes, of course, the death of Adam Watene during the off-season. The Wildcats have responded magnificently and Kear has to take much of the credit for that.

Rugby League World Team of the Month
1 Brett Hodgson, Huddersfield
2 Dave Halley, Wakefield
3 Matt Gidley, St Helens
4 Michael Shenton, Castleford
5 Richard Owen, Castleford
6 Richard Horne, Hull FC
7 Michael Dobson, Hull KR
8 Sam Burgess, Bradford
9 Brad Drew, Wakefield
10 Darrell Griffin, Huddersfield
11 Danny Tickle, Hull FC
12 Tony Puletua, St Helens
13 Jason Demetriou, Wakefield

Coaches
1 John Kear - Wakefield
2 Richard Agar - Hull FC
3 Justin Morgan - Hull KR
4 Terry Matterson - Castleford
5 Nathan Brown - Huddersfield

Fullbacks
1 Brett Hodgson Huddersfield
2 Ryan McGoldrick Castleford
3 Lee Smith Leeds
4 Matt Blaymire Wakefield
5 Tony Duggan Celtic

Wingers
1 Dave Halley Wakefield
2 Richard Owen Castleford
3 Tom Briscoe Hull FC
4 Peter Fox Hull KR
5 Ryan Hall Leeds

Centres
1 Matt Gidley St Helens
2 Michael Shenton Castleford
3 Ryan Atkins Wakefield
4 Kris Welham Hull KR
5 Paul Whatuira Huddersfield

Stand-offs
1 Richard Horne Hull FC
2 Tony Martin Wakefield
3 Jeremy Smith Salford
4 Luke Dorn Harlequins
5 Danny McGuire Leeds

Scrum-halves
1 Michael Dobson Hull KR
2 Brent Sherwin Castleford
3 Luke Robinson Huddersfield
4 Sean Long St Helens
5 Thomas Leuluai Wigan

Props
1 Sam Burgess Bradford
2 Darrell Griffin Huddersfield
3 Ewan Dowes Hull FC
4 Nick Fozzard Hull KR
5 Ryan O'Hara Celtic

Hookers
1 Brad Drew Wakefield
2 Scott Moore Huddersfield
3 Matt Diskin Leeds
4 Mickey Higham Warrington
5 Shaun Berrigan Hull FC

Second Rows
1 Danny Tickle Hull FC
2 Tony Puletua St Helens
3 Glenn Morrison Bradford
4 Eorl Crabtree Huddersfield
5 Dale Ferguson Wakefield

Loose Forwards
1 Jason Demetriou Wakefield
2 Gregory Mounis Catalans
3 Joe Westerman Castleford
4 Kevin Sinfield Leeds
5 Paul Clough St Helens