YORK Knights boss Mark Applegarth has backed Wakefield Trinity loanee Joe Law to be a “top league centre.”

The 20-year-old joined the Knights on loan from the Betfred Championship League Leaders’ Shield winners at the end of July and has scored five times in as many matches since his arrival.

Having scored a three-minute brace at struggling Whitehaven eight days ago, he continued his try-scoring exploits at Widnes on Sunday, with Ata Hingano's 40/20 attempt instead falling kindly for Brad Ward, who found the supporting centre to score beneath the posts.

Applegarth first brought Law to Wakefield at the age of 14 and handed him a Betfred Super League debut against Leeds Rhinos last year.

And though he has at times been exposed defensively, the youngster has provided more than able cover for both the injured Jesse Dee and Levi Edwards and following the retirement of former Grand Final winner Jimmy Keinhorst midway through the season.

He follows in the footsteps of former Heworth youngster Oli Pratt, who, after his own season-long loan with the Knights last year, has scored 15 times in 29 appearances for Trinity this term.

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“I knew Joe would slot in great,” the Knights boss enthused.

“I signed Joe at 14 years of age so I’ve coached him for many a year. There were no issues there with how he would integrate [into the squad].

“In my opinion, given time, Joe is going to be a top league centre, and I’m really pleased that we can help facilitate his development.

“He’s been really good since he’s come in, and we’ve just got to keep him grounded as he is. I’ve got no issues there, it’s just a matter of keeping building his performances and just letting him discover what he is capable of.”

Nikau Williams has also been among those to play centre this season, with the Knights hit particularly bad by injuries in the position.

A half-back by trade, the Kiwi playmaker has improved week on week under Applegarth, with some of his best performances for the club having come playing out of position.

But alongside Hingano, he has been blossoming back in the halves, with the pair’s growing partnership having been at the heart of their run of 10 wins from Applegarth’s 13 games in charge and subsequent late charge into the play-off places.

That compounded in a hat-trick against former club Whitehaven in his 100th career appearance, capitalising on the space offered to him as the Cumbrians focused on trying to contain his Tongan half-back partner.

Nikau Williams has also been among the Knights' standouts over recent weeks.Nikau Williams has also been among the Knights' standouts over recent weeks. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography)

“I think wherever we’ve played him – centre, full-back and half since I’ve been here – he’s just a competitor is Nikau,” Applegarth admitted.

“I thought Whitehaven did a good job in trying to shut Ata down and it was pleasing to see that Nikau fully capitalised on that and took the space that was presented to him.

“He’s a quality player and a quality individual as a person and I think that him and Ata are forming a good combo [in the halves]. It softens the blow of our captain Liam not being out there.

“I’m really pleased with how those two are gelling.”