Nathan Ripley seizes chance to prove his future worth to Sheffield Steeldogs

Nathan Ripley impressed enough during the second half of the 2019-20 campaign to earn himself a deal for next season with Sheffield Steeldogs. Picture courtesy of Peter Best.Nathan Ripley impressed enough during the second half of the 2019-20 campaign to earn himself a deal for next season with Sheffield Steeldogs. Picture courtesy of Peter Best.
Nathan Ripley impressed enough during the second half of the 2019-20 campaign to earn himself a deal for next season with Sheffield Steeldogs. Picture courtesy of Peter Best. | freelance
WHEN opportunity knocked at Sheffield Steeldogs for teenager Nathan Ripley, he grabbed it with both hands.

The ambitious product of the Steeldogs Prospect Programme was thrust into the fray back in December in order to help Ben Morgan’s team through an injury crisis among the forwards.

By the end of the season, the 18-year-old had done more than enough to be offered a full-time position with the team for the 2020-21 NIHL National campaign.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Morgan said Ripley had impressed after not being phased by thrown in at the deep end when making his debut against Basingstoke aged 17, finishing the 2019-20 season with two goals and an assist from 29 appearances.

IMPRESSED: Sheffield Steeldogs' player-coach, Ben Morgan. Picture courtesy of Mark Ferriss.IMPRESSED: Sheffield Steeldogs' player-coach, Ben Morgan. Picture courtesy of Mark Ferriss.
IMPRESSED: Sheffield Steeldogs' player-coach, Ben Morgan. Picture courtesy of Mark Ferriss. | freelance

“He did really well when he got his chance with the team,” said Morgan. “He set his stall out from the first game in Basingstoke when he was kind of thrown into the deep end a little bit, possibly getting a few more shifts than he thought he would have expected.

“He got the chance to play with some of the more experienced guys and indeed was played on numerous lines through the course of the season.”

After Morgan himself and forwards Nathan Salem and new arrival Martins Susters, Ripley is the team's fourth confirmed signing for next season. He follows in the footsteps of Steeldogs’ team-mates Alex Graham - on a two-way deal from Elite League Sheffield Steelers - Curtis Warburton and Jack Brammer in working his way through the club’s prospect scheme.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Prospects lets us give an opportunity to players to showcase their talent, and otherwise we might never hear about them or get to see them in real life,” added Morgan.,

“It can be difficult to see players play at different levels because we are a full-time team ourselves. Ripley did a good job last season taking his opportunity and is showing that he is one for the future, the near future. He has a fantastic attitude and a good work ethic.”

Editor’s note: First and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you. James Mitchinson, Editor

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1754
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice