York Knights boss explains AJ Towse's absence from squad

The former Heworth winger finished the 2023 season as the Knights’ top scorer with 20 tries in 34 appearances across all competitions – a return that also saw him nominated for the Betfred Championship’s Young Player of the Year.

He was an ever-present as they claimed the unlikeliest of play-off places with a run of 10 wins from their final 11 matches last season, but has featured just six times so far in 2024, despite scoring a hat-trick against dual registration partners Newcastle Thunder and tries against both Oldham and Doncaster.

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His most recent appearance came in their 50-6 defeat at home to title favourites Wakefield Trinity on April 14, starting on the right wing after fellow winger Joe Brown had been pushed to full-back in place of the injured Will Dagger.

Towse was named as the 18th man as the Knights claimed their first league win against Bradford Bulls 11 days ago, but did not make the squad for Sunday’s 22-18 defeat at Batley Bulldogs, despite travelling, and indeed taking part in the warm-up, at Mount Pleasant.

That has prompted fans to question the 20-year-old’s absence, but Henderson admits that with the signing of the experienced Tom Lineham, he has dropped down the pecking order in a position that continues to have competition for places, despite the club’s mounting injury list.

“It’s just a performance decision,” he explained to The Press.

“Obviously AJ had a tremendous season last year, and we knew coming into the season that there’s been a little bit more competition for places on that wing spot.

“I just felt some of his performances earlier in the year, there were areas of his game he had to be better in. He’s still doing some good things, but there were other areas that he needed to improve. We’ve had those conversations and we’re working hard to get him back to his best.

“I just feel that at the moment, Tom Lineham and Joe Brown, they did a great job at the weekend, so they’re just keeping him at bay at the moment.

“But that’s what we want, we want that healthy competition for places. It’s probably one of the few positions at the moment that we have a genuine competition for places.”

Towse has scored five times this season, including this effort against Oldham in the 1895 Cup quarter finals. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography)

The head coach did, however, stress that he is confident the talented winger will work his way back into the Knights’ starting line-up as the season progresses.

Henderson insisted: “His time will come. He’s a young player, and we’ve got to remember that, too, with him.

“He’s obviously played a lot of rugby the last year, and he needed to progress on that at the start of this year. For other reasons or whatnot, he’s not quite been at his best.

“You could argue that there’s been a number of players not at their best this year, it’s not just an individual thing.

“But we’re just fortunate that we are in that position where we have got a little bit more strength, depth and cover in that position currently, so we can make some decisions around that as coaches.”