YORK City Knights prop Rory Dixon will get chance to stake a claim for a shirt back at Bootham Crescent this weekend - by outmuscling and outplaying his own club-mates.

Former Castleford academy packman Dixon - nicknamed Albert in the York camp to avoid confusion with fellow Knights prop Ronan Dixon - has been on loan at Hemel Stags this month and will be part of the team that takes on his parent club on Sunday.

And York boss James Ford, having granted him permission to play against his employers, is even hoping to see a big performance from the 20-year-old.

"I think it's important that Albert plays," said Ford. "In the two games he's played for Hemel I've been impressed.

"He was excellent against Oldham last week, against a team we rate highly.

"This is a good opportunity for him to go up against a good forward pack and test himself and show us where he's really at.

"I do believe in Rory and that he will play for York again."

Dixon has played only twice for the Knights since his winter arrival. Asked if this was a chance for him to show he is better than his fellow forwards at Bootham Crescent, Ford said: "I hope he sees it that way and takes it as a challenge.

"Nobody here has written him off at this club and how he's been playing for Hemel reinforces that belief."