Essex Eels may have been finding life tough in National League Three, but one of their players has still battled his way into a league select XIII.
Second-rower Gareth Lodge has been rated the top man in that position by Rugby League World magazine, even though he and his team-mates have yet to win a game.
The 23-year-old, who also plays for the British Army squad, has had an outstanding season, and head coach Stuart Hogg is delighted with his efforts.
"He is our equivalent of Great Britain star Adrian Morley," he said. "Lodgey just smashes people in the tackle and seconds later he is hitting the ball up into the opposition forwards.
"This is the toughest sport in the world, so you have to be pretty special to keep doing that as often and as well as he does."
Published Thursday July 1, 2004
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