Open training session for Knights U19 hopefuls (From York Press)

Open training session for Knights U19 hopefuls

9:37am Saturday 8th September 2012 in Sport By Peter Martini, peter.martini@thepress.co.uk

YORK City Knights will hold an open training session next Tuesday for wannabe under-19s squad members.

Players can come from anywhere but must be under 19, but 16 or over, on August 31, 2012, to be eligible for the team.

The session is at Huntington Stadium, meeting at 6pm for a 6.30pm start. Players must come kitted out for full contact training.

The Knights will be running an U19s team next year, rather than an U18s side, to fit in with the new Rugby Football League format which sees Super League reserve-grade rugby change from U20s to U19s.

Meanwhile, the Knights’ successful U18s team, most of whom will go into this U19s side, have had their end-of-season presentation evening, sponsored by Co-operative Funeral Care.

U18s head coach James Ford, along with assistants Nick Settle and Matt Isherwood and manager Jack Stearman, led the team to five wins and one defeat from their six games, with several players being promoted to first-team ranks due to injuries at open-age level.

The award for most improved player went to Matty Brewer, the stand-out half-back who has been offered first-team terms for 2013.

The U18s’ only loss of their mini-season coincided with Brewer being on holiday.

The players’ player of the year was hooker Harry Carter, who recently made his first-team bow. He received a nomination from every one of his colleagues – barring best mate Ash Haynes.

Carter and Brewer, along with centre Greg Minikin and prop Tim Stubbs, who ended the season in the first team, were strong candidates for the player of the year award but that went to Liam Ellis, one of the youngest members in the squad, who was made captain by Ford half-way through the season and went on to play for the first team.

Stearman said: “The player of the year was a very hard one for the coaches to decide, as every single player played their part in the success.”

A final award for ‘parent of the year,’ went to James Morland’s father, Bob, who often drove players around Yorkshire and helped in training and gym sessions.

• Former York Acorn full-back Ash Robson, a York High School pupil, has signed his first professional contract with Leeds Rhinos after coming through the Super League club’s scholarship ranks.