BRAD HEY is poised to make his debut for York City Knights tonight as head coach James Ford shuffles his cards after last week's bruising encounter with Newcastle - but the absence of Michael Channing is a conspicuous one as the centre's immediate future remains up in the air.

Hey joined on loan from Batley this week and is set to go straight into the 17 for the trip to League One whipping boys South Wales Scorpions (6pm) as Ford makes five - possibly six - changes to the team that thumped the Thunder.

Channing, though, is not named in the travelling party and it remains to be seen if he will return on dual-reg or if parent club Castleford keep him for the rest of the season.

Fellow dual-reg ace Jordan Howden also stays home, though Ford insists the teenage stand-off is merely being rested and will be back for the promotion run-in.

There are also recalls for Tyler Craig, Jack Blagbrough, Harry Carter and Liam Cunningham, while Casey Canterbury and Adam Dent also travel. The latter will play if Ford opts to give full-back James Haynes a weekend off after his strenuous recent efforts on his return from a back problem.

Left out alongside Channing and Howden are Jack Aldous, Josh Tonks and Micky Learmonth.

Ford has stressed the changes do not suggest any complacency on his part and has warned his team they cannot afford to take bottom club South Wales lightly, despite their record of won one lost 14, conceding some 708 points along the way.

He said: "I've made it pretty clear I was happy with numerous parts of the game last week but two or three areas were scratchy. I've told them they could be better and I'm not going to settle for seven or eight out of ten.

"The players coming in are good players and it's up to them to show me they should stay in the team."

Knights (possible): Haynes, B Dent, Craig, Minikin, Morrison, Presley, P Smith, Blagbrough, Carter, Applegarth, E Smith, Cunningham, Mallinder. Subs: Brining, Roche, Nicholson, Hey. Stand-by: A Dent, Canterbury.