Featured Player: Austin Buchanan

Profile
DATE OF BIRTH: 22nd May 1984
POSITION: Winger
CLUBS: Leeds Rhinos (academy), London Broncos, York City Knights, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Dewsbury Rams.

"I want to get back in to Super League, I think I'm good enough". That's the ambition of Rams winger Austin Buchanan who, at 25, clearly believes his best years are still to come. The former Rhinos academy starlet, currently on the rehabilitation trail following knee surgery, does have experience at the top level, scoring 4 tries in 12 Super League appearances - first with London Broncos and then at Wakefield.

"It's the speed of the game that's hard to adjust to" admits Buchanan, who is now in his third season with Dewsbury after joining in 2007, following a prolific try-scoring spell with York City Knights.

Austin's brother Jamie Jones-Buchanan is the trail blazer within the family, having won 4 super league titles with Leeds and international honours with England and Great Britain. Younger sibling Jodie Broughton who, like Austin, plays on the wing, is one of many emerging names within the sport. The 22-year-old impressed whilst on loan at Hull last season and has earned a contract with Salford for 2010.

Buchanan counts the likes of Ryan Bailey and Chev Walker as friends, players who he grew up with as a schoolboy in Leeds. It's thanks to Bailey and Walker that Austin took up rugby league after initially showing promise as a soccer player. He was snapped up as a 17 year old by Leeds Rhinos before moving on to London who gave him his first taste of Super League in 2003

Austin's short term goal, naturally, is to get back on the field and scoring tries as soon as possible. Recovery is ahead of schedule and he hopes to be back in action for the Rams in May. Although, he admits the side will find it difficult to top last season - The Rams won every league game in 2009, winning Championship 1 at a canter and sealing an immediate return to the Championship.
"I don't think there are going to many teams that'll do what we did last year, it's going to stand out in history". The last team to do have completed such a feat was Hull over 30 years ago, although the NFP title winning Huddersfield side of 2002 came close, drawing just one match.

Dewsbury's last season at this level ended in relegation after the side recorded just 2 league wins. Buchanan is optimistic about the Rams' prospects this time around though.
"A lot of people would say survival is the aim for 2010, but we've got the belief we can do a bit better than that".

Super League ambitions aside, Austin is clearly enjoying his time at the Tetley's Stadium and had the dubious honour of catering for his team-mates at the club's gruelling pre-season camp last month.
"After the flogging they got, they'd have eaten anything!" joked Austin, who attracted comparisons from his team-mates with Ainsley Harriot!
"It's a tough camp but I'd have definitely preferred to be doing it than watching so I tried to get involved as much as I could".

Buchanan is easing his way back in to full-training but will be watching from the sidelines when the Rams' Northern Rail Cup campaign gets under way at home to London in just under three weeks time.

Click below for Buchanan's career stats: