EX-YORK City Knights captain - and former York Acorn ARLC boss - Scott Rhodes is Heworth's new head coach for 2018.

The 37-year-old takes over from fellow former Knight George Elliott, who has been player-coach for the past two seasons but will now concentrate on playing.

Rhodes' appointment marks a return to his old junior club, where he took up the game before going on to have a pro career with Leeds Rhinos, Sheffield, Dewsbury and the Knights, also winning Scotland caps.

He ended his playing days with cross-city rivals Acorn before becoming their head coach from October 2010 to May 2016, twice guiding them into amateur rugby league's elite tier, the National Conference League premier division, with a relegation in between.

A Heworth club statement said: "George Elliott will step aside to make way for Scott to come in and help advance the squad.

"George is 100 per cent committed for the new season and can concentrate on playing duties and support Scott in the new role."

Heworth, formerly of the National Conference, dropped to the Yorkshire Men's League three years ago and finished this season fifth in division one, below both Acorn 'A' and fellow York rivals New Earswick.

The statement added: "The aim for the club is to build on a strong first half of the 2017 season and return to winning ways in the YML, building a squad to take us forward.

"Our junior ranks have now swollen to 225 (aged from three to 16) and it's crucial we also secure the right open-age coaching team to take us forward over the coming seasons."

Acorn boss Leigh Paul-Rientoul, who replaced Rhodes at Thanet Road having previously been 'A' team coach, reckoned the move could be good for the game in the city.

"We're still mates," he said. "He was saying it's going to be a good challenge. He's had time out and he's now got a 'get back involved' attitude, giving something back to the community club he played for as a junior.

"I wish him all the best. Hopefully he can get Heworth back into the NCL and get more rivalry in York again."

Acorn, meanwhile, head to Featherstone Lions in National Conference division one on Saturday (2.30pm) for their last game of the regular season - and a potential humdinger.

The Lions, who shocked second-placed Underbank last time out, need to win to have any chance of escaping relegation, while Acorn, guaranteed a play-off place, need victory to bag a home tie in the knockouts. Defeat would open the door for Normanton and Lock Lane to leapfrog them, leaving Paul-Rientoul's men with a harder task on the road to bag a final berth.

The Blue and Golds will be without veteran star Tom Hill and Jack Byrnes, both unavailable, but otherwise will travel strong.

"It's going to be a big game," said Paul-Rientoul.

"Featherstone beat Underbank at Underbank and apparently only went with 14 players, so who knows what happened there. Underbank played a full-strength team too. On that basis, we'll have our work cut out.

"Featherstone reached the play-off final last year so facing relegation is a big drop. They're obviously fighting to stay up.

"I can't see both Normanton and Lock Lane losing so we need to win to get that home advantage in the play-offs."

There is a three-week break before the play-off semi-finals on October 21, but, following the Super League Grand Final on October 7, the York & District Cup final - between Acorn and New Earswick - has now been pencilled in for October 14, at Thanet Road.

Selby Warriors, who lost 48-28 to Moorends Thorne last week to remain winless after two games in the winter Pennine League division two east, have no league fixture this Saturday.