Hawks swoop to sign Knights full-back Bush (From York Press)

Hawks swoop to sign Knights full-back Tom Bush

11:50am Wednesday 5th September 2012 in Sport By Peter Martini, peter.martini@thepress.co.uk

TOM BUSH appears set to follow Waine Pryce in switching from York City Knights to arch-rivals Hunslet.

The Press revealed the Knights were to offer the former Leeds academy full-back a new deal for 2013 but it then came to light he had already agreed terms with another club.

That club is thought to be the Hawks, who beat York in Sunday’s Championship wooden spoon decider.

The future of George Elliott remains in question as he is yet to accept a second offer from the Knights. The Press understands he rejected an initial offer but the club returned with improved terms.

Knights general manager Ian Wilson would not confirm any contract discussions, but he did say of Bush: “He’s agreed an offer elsewhere.”

The 22-year-old’s future had been in doubt as the Knights tracked, and then recruited, Featherstone reserve ace Tom Carr as potential first-choice full-back next year.

The fact they left it late to offer Bush new terms suggests he was not among their priority re-signings, despite his decent form back in his preferred position of full-back in the latter part of this season.

He had found himself behind dual-registered Ben Hellewell and then Jordan Tansey for that role earlier in the year, but, switching to the wing, he still missed only one match, and was an unused substitute in another, before injury forced him out of the penultimate game of this season at Batley.

He was a regular in 2011 too, after joining from Leeds, and in total he made 42 appearances for the club, scoring 11 tries and 32 goals.

An offer is still on the table, however, for another full-back, James Haynes, who missed all of this season due to injury but should be back in training for pre-season.

The Press understands offers have not yet gone out to out-of-contract second-rows Rhys Clarke or Dave Sutton, although new deals have not been ruled out. Former St Helens academy winger Sutton now runs the Punch Bowl pub in Lowther Street.

There is also no news on crocked forwards James Houston and Davey Burns.

Former Featherstone and Hunslet packman Houston is still awaiting surgery on his problematic leg, but Burns now has a date for his operation and the club have said he would be welcome back at Huntington Stadium once he regains fitness, although he also has the option of returning to amateur club York Acorn.