YORK City Knights will be without captain Ed Smith for their big Super 8s opener against mega-rich League One leaders Toronto Wolfpack on Sunday as fears grow over his knee injury.

Smith, helped off during the win over Workington a fortnight ago, has had a scan but the results have not yet been made public.

Perhaps surprisingly, in his second-row stead comes teenager Zeus Silk, arguably the lowest-profile of the four players to have arrived on loan on deadline day last week. Head coach James Ford had high praise for the Hull FC young gun.

New centre Jake Butler-Fleming also starts, but props Jordan Cox, the former Warrington Wolves front-rower, and young Ross Osborne will have to wait.

Silk's inclusion means Brad Hey can stay at centre - James Haynes being the one to drop out, probably to the bench, despite his hat-trick last time out.

"James had a really good game against Workington," said Ford. "I've just been really impressed with Zeus Silk in training.

"His attitude has been outstanding and he's brought a lot into every session. I want to have a look at him and that means Brad stays at centre and James unluckily finds himself out of the starting line-up.

"Brad has been excellent, probably the most improved player at the club.

"He's always been athletic but this year he's finding ways to use that ability to influence games and turn games in our favour.

"There's still more levels in him and we will need a big game from him this weekend."

On Aussie Butler-Fleming, Ford said: "He's a very strong, powerful player and I'm excited to see if he can bring another dimension to our back line and our attack.

"He's played some good stuff for Hull KR. Toronto will be on a par with them so it will be interesting to see how he goes."

Asked about Cox, following his high-profile arrival on loan from Sheffield, Ford explained a maximum of only five loan or dual-reg players could be included, and they were Silk, Butler-Fleming and dual-reg trio Liam Harris, Kieran Moran, after his two-match ban, and Will Jubb.

"With Ed Smith not available, it was important to play a bona fide second-row (Silk)," he said. "With how Toronto set up, they will test our edges. It's important to have a look at Zeus and see where's he's at. He deserves his opportunity."

He added of Cox: "The standards at this club are really high in terms of how we train and play. Jordan's played at an elite level and has seen the standards we're aiming towards. We're a patient coaching staff and we will work with him. If he wants to play he needs to be at those levels."

Toronto come with a star-studded 19, including veteran ex-NRL prop Fuifui Moimoi, former Super League stars Craig Hall, Richard Whiting, try machine Ryan Brierley, James Laithwaite and Jake Emmitt, plus Championship big guns Bob Beswick, the prolific Liam Kay, Sean Penkywicz, Greg Worthington, Jonathan Pownall, Steve Crossley and Samoan international Quentin Laula Togagae.

Knights: from Robson, Foggin-Johnston, Hey, Haynes, Butler-Fleming, Morrison, Harris, C Robinson, H Tyson-Wilson, Dixon, Ellis, Moran, Silk, Batchelor, Spears, Jubb, A Robinson, Siddons, Porter.

Toronto: from Laula Togagae, Pownall, Worthington, Hall, Kay, Brierley, Wallace, Jacks, Moimoi, Beswick, Fleming, Laithwaite, Bussey, Pick, Whiting, Crossley, Sidlow, Emmitt, Penkywicz.