TRP’s National Two North Dream Team

were beaten just twice all season as they earned promotion to National League One with a very impressive campaign and league title during 2016-17.
The league champions won 27 of their 30 fixtures and scored over 1,000 points, an average of more than 33 a game, on their way to an incredible 21 try bonus points.
Not surprisingly, the championship-winning squad dominate our team of the year with six players but there's also plenty of representation from other teams.
Sale, who were beaten by Old Elthamians in the promotion play-off, are well represented having finished second in the league with just one win fewer than Caldy.
edged Sedgley Park into third place while Harrogate, Scunthorpe and Preston Grasshoppers had seasons to forget as they were relegated.
15. Pete Swatkins – Tigers
Sheffield Tigers struggled through much of this campaign but managed to finish three points above the relegation zone, thanks in no small part to their full-back Pete Swatkins.
Swatkins scored 19 tries this season including a crucial eight in the final six games of the campaign to ensure the Tigers remained in National Two North for another year.
Jack Moorhouse competed with Swatkins for the No.15 jersey but the Sale man slots in on the wing instead.
14. Nick Royle – Caldy
The league's leading try scorer, Royle touched down an impressive 32 times during the 30-game season for Caldy.
No defence was able to stop the flying winger and it'll be exciting to see what the former 7s star can achieve in National One next year.
Royle was the league's top scorer last season, as well as back in 2006-07 with , and comfortably holds the record for the most tries in the competition.
13. Jamie Broadley – Sheffield Tigers
Scoring tries was not an issue for the Tigers this season – they scored more points than each of the four teams that finished above them in the league table.
Key to that was Broadley's ability to find the whitewash. In total, he crossed on 24 occasions for the struggling side, moving to the right wing for the latter part of the season.
12. Jack Lavin – Caldy, above
Another representative from the champions, Lavin scored 21 tries in this campaign as well as knocking over 270 points with the boot.
His invaluable combination of speed, power and ability to bisect the posts saw him score 375 points in total to help Caldy lift the title.
An honourable mention also goes to Sedgley Park's Matt Riley, who narrowly missed out after an excellent season in Manchester.
11. Jack Moorhouse – Sale
The flying winger, who also starred at full-back this season, scored an impressive 19 tries for Sale to help them finish second in the table.
With his pace and power, the wingers who came up against Moorhouse may wish that Sale had succeeded in their promotion bid, if only so they don't have to worry about his threat again next season.
Lions winger Devon Constant was also a constant try-scoring menace and only narrowly missed out on selection to our team.
10. Rhys Hayes – Caldy
The master tactician driving the Caldy side from start to finish, Rhys Hayes has been the key man for the champions.
The fly-half scored ten tries and was on hand to take on the kicking duties as back-up to Lavin which added further strength to the champions' backline.
Liam McGovern was unfortunate to miss out on selection having also impressed with more than 300 points this season for Sale, his last for the club after four years as captain, while the ever-reliable Rickie Aley at South Leicester also cleared 300.
9.Callum McShane – Sedgley Park
Tricky scrum-half Callum McShane just beat 's Matthew Outson to the jersey, but it was a close-run thing. McShane was a menace to opposing defences as Sedgley Park finished fourth in the league, just behind Leicester Lions.
Outson also impressed throughout despite Tynedale recording only nine wins, the same number as relegated Harrogate and Scunthorpe.
1. Aniseko Sio – Leicester Lions
Aniseko Sio was a rock in the Leicester Lions pack all year, giving them much-needed set piece stability at the scrum and in the line-out.
One of the best front-rowers in the league, his hard work around the field can too often be missed but it is invaluable to the Lions.
Steve Harvey also deserves a mention for his excellent year in the Hinckley front row.
2. Ted Stagg – Caldy
A key man in the Caldy front five, Ted Stagg provided pinpoint line-out throwing as well as a strong and stable presence in the centre of the scrum.
Stagg's wealth of experience in the Championship, with clubs like Plymouth Albion and , is clear for all to see and he led the way for the champions.
Johnny Matthews should also be recognised for his fine season as hooker for Sedgley Park.
3. Mark George –
Former London Irish and Titans prop Mark George is our pick at tighthead just ahead of the Preston Grasshoppers' Pete Altham.
George has been called up to North Midlands in the Bill Beaumont Cup in recent weeks, where he scored a try against Warwickshire in an astonishing 56-56 draw. Altham has also been enjoying county honours recently, coming off the bench for Lancashire in their 38-15 win over Eastern Counties.
4. Gareth Rawlings – Sale
Gareth Rawlings joined Sale from Fylde as a player-coach this season and has certainly been leading from the front during his debut season.
As the experienced lock continues his development off the field, his ability to influence a game while on it remains steadfast – and he narrowly pipped Wharfedale second-rower George Hedgley for a slot in the engine room.
5. Tom Sanders – Caldy
Another powerful influence in the second row, Sanders was a vital cog in the Caldy pack ensuring that both line-out and scrum operated almost faultlessly.
The lock is also more than capable in the loose as he demonstrated multiple times throughout the season for the league champions.
Sanders has continued to demonstrate his good form for Cheshire in recent weeks in the Bill Beaumont Cup.
6. Nigel Mukarati – Stourbridge
Former Broadstreet flanker Nigel Mukarati has had an outstanding season for Stourbridge, where he made 29 appearances and scored five tries.
Josh Burridge is extremely unfortunate to miss out after scoring 14 tries for Wharfedale but it's Mukarati's all-round influence that sees him edge it, as mid-table Stourbridge would have really struggled without the influential back-rower.
7. Josiah Dickinson – Caldy
Arguably the strongest back-rower in the league this year, Dickinson's mobility and ferocity at the breakdown struck fear into the hearts of his opponents.
He was also excellent at finding the try-line, crossing the whitewash a very impressive 16 times in just a 30-game season.
Billy Harding of Stourbridge and Matt Lamprey of Sedgley Park also deserve mentions here, but neither were able to match Dickinson this year.
8. Guy Ford – Chester
Powerful runner Guy Ford has earned his spot despite stiff competition from Juan Crous of Sedgley Park and Sale's Tom Ailes.
The former Otley No. 8 continues to provide Chester with power and pace from the base of the scrum as well as getting through plenty of work in the loose.

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