YORK City Knights are bringing Featherstone prop Lewis Jones to Huntington Stadium – despite the fact he is serving an eight-game ban.

He was due to put pen to paper on a deal last night keeping him at the Knights until the end of the season with a view to pushing for a first-team place this year and winning a contract for 2014.

Jones, 22, made one substitute appearance for Rovers’ first team in 2012 but was otherwise an under-23s regular, alongside Tom Carr, Aaron Lyons, Jack Iley and Nat Browne, who have also since made the switch to York.

Knights boss Gary Thornton admits he is recruiting Jones largely on the advice of Featherstone U20s coach Danny Evans.

“It’s another of those scenarios, like with Jack Iley, Jack Pickles and Nathan Browne, where we take people on and see how they fit in,” said Thornton. “We need a bit more strength in depth so we’re getting him in on board in the hope he will push through into the first team.

“I’ve seen him play for Featherstone U20s and he’s a big unit and quite strong, but I’m going on Danny Evans’ recommendation. Featherstone are doing right by him – they recognise he needs to be playing games and he won’t get too many as an overage player for their U20s. He needs to be pushing for first-team football.

“He’s got the right attributes to be a decent forward. He’s certainly got the size. It could be he’s one for the future but, as well as bringing people in for straight away, we also need to be looking at people in readiness for next year. Lewis fits into both categories, though obviously he has to sit out this ban first.”

Jones was handed his eight-match ban last month after getting involved in an on-pitch brawl from off the bench in Featherstone’s U20s pre-season match against Halifax in late February. He has served three of the games.

According to the Rugby Football League disciplinary hearing, he “became unnecessarily involved in a mêlée throwing punches in a violent manner at an unsighted opponent”.

It was deemed a grade ‘F’ offence for which an eight-match ban was the minimum punishment. Jones had also been sin-binned for fighting in a previous friendly against Keighley.