A KEIGHLEY-born amateur rugby league player says he can’t wait for the 2020 season to start after winning a prestigious national award for his exploits this year.

Harry Williams, 20, who plays for West Bowling, received the top points scorer award for the National Conference League (NCL) for the 2019 season.

Williams, who lives in Denholme, was a vital part of the West Bowling side which finished NCL Division Two champions, earning promotion to Division One for the 2020 season.

He plays half-back and is also the goal kicker for the team.

He finished the 2019 campaign with 324 points, 294 scored during league games and 30 from Challenge Cup ties.

Williams also won this award two years ago when he was only 18, before he had a season with the Castleford Tigers Under-19s side. He started back pre-season training with West Bowling last Saturday.

He said: “It’s great to win the award. It just goes back to us having a good season with the team.

“The majority of my points were conversions, so I could not have done it without them. Everybody put their work into it right from the start.

“It’s good to have an early start to pre-season. We will be going into the Challenge Cup in January. Starting pre-season two months before will give us an advantage before the Conference League season.

“I’m looking forward to it. I have not touched a ball in a while.”

Williams says he is happy to stay at West Bowling and not rushing a move into semi or professional rugby league.

He also says there is no reason why his current side cannot chase back-to-back promotions next season.

“I am starting back at West Bowling and I really enjoy myself, I get to play with my mates.

“If something happens, it happens. I am enjoying myself and not rushing anything. I’m not going to force anything to happen.

“I have always said that the goal is to achieve and if we are in a league we are there to win it. We have some really good players who can win the league as long as everyone plays at 100 per cent each week. We have got the players to do it. If we have a good run, we are hard to stop.”

West Bowling head coach Ryan Hunkin also heaped praise on Williams, branding him an immense talent. But Hunkin added Williams’ award also required a team effort.

Hunkin said: “Harry has been immense. He is 19 or 20 and to finish top of the points scorers in all of the NCL divisions is a massive achievement for him.

“We should be playing at a higher level.

“The players have not let him have it. It’s a team award.”