Knights eye pack star (From York Press)

Knights eye pack star

11:23am Thursday 26th November 2009 in

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A SECOND-ROW with a Super League pedigree is set to join York City Knights tonight – as pre-season training picks up a pace.

The club have not confirmed any potential deal but The Press understands a former Super League player is due to attend tonight’s session at Huntington Stadium and put pen to paper on a contract for 2010.

He is thought to be a back-row forward who has previously played about a dozen games in top-flight rugby league and more recently played for a leading Championship club.

If the signing goes ahead, it would bring the Knights’ 2010 squad to 32 players, most of whom are new to Huntington Stadium – although the search for another out-and-out centre to provide competition for places in the threequarters goes on.

What has been confirmed by the club, meanwhile, is a time and date for the now-annual friendly against Leeds Rhinos.

It will take place at Huntington Stadium on Tuesday, February 9, kick off 8pm.

This is over a week after the season kicks off – the Knights should have played two Northern Rail Cup matches by then – but it is the only time the two clubs could fit the game in.

This is partly due to the Rhinos’ preparations – the first-team squad usually goes abroad for warm weather training, and their season kicks off a week early to make room for the World Club Challenge against Australian champions Melbourne Storm at Elland Road on February 28.

Knights general manager Ian Wilson said it was not a bad thing to have a friendly after the season starts.

“There will be players fighting to get into the team for the Northern Rail Cup matches,” he said. “Playing this friendly on a Tuesday means players could potentially play the following Sunday if they stand out.

“Oldham played Leeds after the Northern Rail Cup started last year and Hunslet Hawks will also play them after next season starts.”

Wilson hoped the Rhinos would bring a decent squad for the game, and one that would boost the attendance figure – especially as the match clashes with York City’s home Blue Square Premier clash with Barrow.

“It will probably feature a lot of their Under-20s, but their Super League squad has 25 players in and eight of those aren’t going to play that weekend so you would think the squad for the Tuesday will have some of them in.

“Danny Buderus’ first game for Leeds was in that Oldham match and, with a lot of their players having played internationals, if one or two are carrying knocks they might turn out in the York game as they work their way back.”

The opening NRC matches are scheduled for the weekend of January 31 – a week earlier than last year as bosses wanted a prompt finish due to the 2010 Gillette Four Nations bring played down under.

The Knights, though, are still yet to receive a draft copy of the 2010 fixture list, even though Super League fixtures were publicly announced a week ago. It is thought the delay is due to the Rugby Football League’s late decision to allow the relaunched Gateshead Thunder club to start over in Championship One, and to allow Leigh Centurions to stay in the Championship rather than be relegated.

The Knights’ other friendlies are at home to the York Select XIII on Sunday, December 27, and to Hunslet on Sunday, January 10, and away to Castleford Tigers, in the Paul Higgins Memorial match, on Sunday, January 17.