'Lovely coincidence' if Dewsbury Rams could win League One title 50 years on from 1973 success, says head coach Liam Finn

And it is extremely difficult to argue with Finn. For that splendid achievement 50 years ago, which saw Dewsbury, led by coach Tommy Smales and captain Mike ‘Stevo’ Stephenson, secure their first, and only, top-tier league championship title, is one of rugby league’s most iconic underdog tales.

“It’s obviously a long time ago but you can understand the significance of it,” admitted Finn. “Especially what it must have been like at the time. They are still household names in Dewsbury and in rugby league.

“We are still talking about them now. Without being disrespectful to any of the more recent Dewsbury teams, you don’t imagine players now being talked about in 40, 50 years time in the same way that those boys are.

“It just shows what can be achieved and that, no matter what level you think you are at, or what club you are playing for, the world is your oyster in rugby league.”

Stevo received supreme recognition for his contribution to the heroic team of 1973. And the final at Odsal, which Dewsbury won 22-13 against Leeds, was his last ever appearance for his hometown club before his illustrious move to Australia.

Can Finn see this ever happening again at Dewsbury?

“Put it this way, I don’t think there will ever be - or it will be a long time away - that a Dewsbury player will be getting bought by Penrith Panthers,” revealed Finn. “That was so significant. It is unbelievable to think that.

“I had my children at the game the other week when Stevo was there and my eldest plays for Shaw Cross and I took him to meet Stevo.

“I explained how he got bought by Penrith Panthers and my eldest was gobsmacked by it. You just don’t associate that with modern times. It probably won’t happen now.

“It is unbelievable but it shows what a good player he was and what a good team they had.”

50 years on and Dewsbury are currently top of rugby league’s third tier. Will they be celebrating another title success in a few months’ time?

“It would be lovely and perhaps a lovely coincidence. Obviously we know that we have started well but it’s not about how you start, it’s how you finish.

“For us, we don’t want to get embroiled in thinking about things like that at the minute, although it would be nice at the end of the season to look back and say, yes we’ve done it in the same year as the anniversary.”