'The penny is finally dropping' - Richard Horne reacts to Dons' win over Batley

“It was a really good all-round team performance,” enthused Horne. ”I thought everyone contributed when they needed do so, including the backfield who helped the middles – who defended really well – by carrying the ball out of yardage.

“I was a little bit worried going into the game due to the fact that it was the first time this season we’ve played in hot conditions because we are a big team.

“But the fact that our completion rate was 80 per cent plus, and we got our tactics right on the day, both helped. We probably weren’t as expansive as we usually are and we stripped it back a little bit and spoke about finishing our sets as near as we could near their line.

“Because they were a big side with some awkward shaped boys who are a handful near the line, the idea was to keep them as far away as we could and we felt that if we could do that then we would have a really good chance of winning the game, which is what happened.

“It is always good to nil a side. We have looked solid in defence in recent games and I think the penny is finally dropping.

“We had eight or nine new players at the start of the season who were having to get used to our system and what we were asking of them and at times (early on) I don’t think that they got it. But the more we’ve worked on it, and shown them in (match) reviews, it’s working and everyone can see that.”

Horne’s only real criticism of the Dons’ display was either side of half-time.

“They finished the first half with a bit of momentum and we spoke (at half-time) that they would be looking to continue that at the start of the second and we gave them a bit of a helping hand when making a few errors,” he said.

“But, as I said, defensively we were solid and it looked like they were missing White at half-back and everything was going through Josh Woods and I thought that we did a good job of nullifying that threat.”

The game saw the debut of former Super League winger Bureta Faraimo, who made one appearance at the end of last season.

“It was a good debut though he looked a bit rusty at times,” said Horne. “The more he plays the better he will get and we are excited by what he will do going forward.”

Centre Jason Tali was another to impress.

“Jason was probably a little bit behind the others at the start of the season but he has been working hard with the conditioners to give himself a chance of playing in the Championship,” said Horne. “I though he held his own today.

Fellow PNG international Watson Boas also impressed

“Watson is playing his best rugby for us at the moment,” said Horne.