YORK City Knights take off to Toronto first thing tomorrow with head coach James Ford proclaiming: "This is not far off mayhem!"

The Knights are massive underdogs for Saturday night's clash against the big-spending new full-time Canadian-based team, who have so far swept all before them in Kingstone Press League One this season.

And that is before travel logistics are taken into account for part-time players, which Ford says give the Wolfpack an "unacceptable" unfair advantage.

"We're kicking off at a time when my players' body clocks will be telling them it's 12 o'clock at night, after a full day's travelling to another continent," said Ford, the match starting at 7pm local time.

"It's incredible really that somebody somewhere thinks this is acceptable.

"Would a Premier League football club kick off a competitive league match at midnight in another continent?"

Asked if such a disadvantage was unfair, Ford said: "It's one of a number of unfair advantages they've got. The fact we lifted the salary cap regulations just for them is another."

The inclusion of a new Canadian team in League One was obviously controversial from the off, albeit brought in with a fanfare from the Rugby Football League.

Ford is all for expanding the sport he loves, but said: "I'm just interested to see if there's any longevity around this.

"Hopefully there will be but I'm yet to be convinced."

Additionally, while Toronto stump up the cost for travelling teams as part of their franchise, Ford fears that semi-pro clubs heading over to Canada may not necessarily be getting enough logistical support. Asked if such help had been forthcoming, he said: "Maybe... not especially.

"We went to Toulouse three times last year and I can't speak highly enough of Toulouse as a club, a team and a city.

"The reports I've heard back from people who've been to Canada is that, while there were positives, they need to maybe pay more attention to some of the finer details."

Asked about their chances of winning, Ford defiantly declared: "We'll go there to attack and compete.

"We go as big underdogs, kicking off at midnight in another continent against a full-time team.

"We've been up against it before - probably not as much as this because it's not far off mayhem - but we'll do our best for York and see what happens."

The Knights are due to arrive in Toronto in the late morning, local time. They will train that evening, play the match 24 hours later, and then set off on the return journey on Sunday.

James Haynes (ankle), whose injury in the win at Keighley last Sunday is not as serious as first feared, along with Tommy Saxton (back), Tuoyo Egodo (hamstring) and Adam Robinson, who is also now on the treatment table, will face fitness tests today before Ford decides who gets on the plane.

In one boost, the club expect to have dual-reg stand-off Liam Harris back after his appearance for parent club Hull KR last weekend.