YORK City Knights' latest local star in the making is poised for a "tough but exciting" first-team bow this weekend.

Seventeen-year-old Fulford School student Liam Richmond, back at the Knights after a spell in Castleford Tigers' academy, is one of a few up-and-coming reserves who are to be thrown in off the bench against Kingstone Press Championship big-guns Featherstone Rovers in Sunday's friendly at Pontefract RUFC.

Jordan Potter, 19, a record-breaking try-scorer when a junior at Heworth ARLC, who was released by Featherstone's academy in the autumn, is also set to turn out, with Steve Batty and Adam Swift likewise about to don the first-team shirt for the first time.

They will be joined by Scott Talbot, who like Batty and Swift was a regular in the reserves in 2014, and who made an appearance against Gateshead in pre-season a year ago.

Richmond, a product of Heworth ARLC, was taken to Cas by Tim Rumford - who was then the Villagers' head coach and also on the Tigers' backroom staff - after an eye-catching debut for the Knights reserves against Championship champions Leigh Centurions in May.

Head coach James Ford said of the teenager: "Liam's a really young kid who's showing a lot of promise.

"He played a game in the reserves last year and stood out to me a mile, especially for someone of his age."

That one and only reserves appearance came against a Leigh side littered with first-teamers including a few former Super League players, Ireland international Stuart Littler being among them. His display off the bench in the second-row that night straight away caught the eye.

Reserves boss Mick Ramsden said that, while it was a "tough one to throw him into", he did very well.

"Technically he's not up to speed obviously but some of the things he did were very good," said Ramsden after that debut.

"He took one of his first carries straight at Stuart Littler - which immediately made people sit up."

Ford added: "Mick Ramsden has worked with him. We don't want to get too excited but he's showing signs that he could kick on and become quite a performer."

Another recently recruited local youngster, Elliot Bulmer, is also set to be named on the bench again after making his bow in the friendly against Hull 12 days ago.

Sunday's game will be Featherstone's last before their Championship season kicks off, and they are expected to field a strong side.