KNIGHTS' on loan stand-off Adam Thaler got off the mark in the Collier Plant Hire/Evening Press player of the year standings last week in only his second match for the club as well as earning praise from ex-York star Jamie Benn.

The 19-year-old had a fine all-round game, getting York up and running with a try and ending with 16 points in the 28-24 win at Dewsbury, and he picks up three points for being man of the match.

Benn said: "I played with him at Castleford, in the second team there, and he's a good kid. He's a good player and I think he will do well."

Captain Rich Hayes claims two points - surprisingly the first points for some time for the consistently good prop - to lift him up to joint-third in the player-of-the-year table, while second-placed Chris Smith closes the gap on leader Trevor Krause by pipping Gareth Lloyd for the remaining point following his opportunist try and a couple of robust surges from full-back.

Whoever is deemed the Knights' man of the match in each game is awarded three points, the second best player two points and the third best one point. Whoever finishes top at the end of the season wins £300 and the runner-up £150.

Full-back Chris Smith, second in the player of the year stakes, has also drawn level at the top of the Knights' try-scoring charts.

Smith scored his fifth try in six games in the 28-24 win at Dewsbury to go level with long-time leader Darren Callaghan.

Callaghan has not crossed in each of the last three games after scoring six tries in the opening eight matches, but he has continued to impress at centre.

Aussie Trevor Krause, top of the player-of-the-year chart, is now one behind the leaders in the try-scoring charts after scoring his fifth of the campaign at Dewsbury to go level with Mark Cain.

Player of the year standings: Krause 10pts, Smith 9, Hayes 7, Cain 7, Jackson 5, Broadbent 5, Ramsden 4, Fletcher 3, Callaghan 3, Godfrey 3, Hallas 3, Rhodes 2, Lloyd 1, Bolus 1.

Updated: 10:47 Saturday, April 12, 2003