HEAD coach Gary Thornton says he doesn't care who York City Knights get in the Championship One promotion play-offs - but he expects it to be arch-rivals Hunslet Hawks.

The Knights topped the table so get a bye in the first round of knockout fixtures and home advantage in week two when they face the winners of Hunslet, who finished second, and Oldham, who came third.

The victors in that qualifying semi-final go straight through to the Headlingley Grand Final on October 5 while the losers get another bite of the cherry in the final eliminator the week after. Only the Grand Final victors get promoted to the Championship.

The format means the Knights could end up facing the Hawks five times this season, having already beaten them three times in the regular season, once at home and twice away, including the memorable 20-18 comeback win last month that virtually guaranteed top spot.

Of the other three play-off contenders, only Oldham have beaten the Knights this season, 31-30 in May, though that result was avenged with a 54-12 thrashing in York in July. Gateshead, meanwhile, ran the Knights close last month.

Asked which side he wanted to welcome to Huntington Stadium on September 21, Thornton said: "I don't mind.

"I think it's a big ask of Oldham to go to Hunslet and win. I would think it'll be Hunslet, but we'll see.

"I will be there next week to watch the Hunslet-Oldham game and, whoever it is, we know we will have to play well and get our house in order. Our preparation for games has been good this year and it will have to be very good again."

Asked which side he would like to face in the Grand Final, should they get there, Thornton reiterated: "Whoever, I don't mind."

He also suggested the Knights were the team everyone else had to topple, adding: "To go up, we're going to have to beat the second-best team in the league."


Play-offs

Week 1 (September 14)

Qualifying play-off: Hunslet (2nd) v Oldham (3rd) (to be played Friday, September 12) - winner to qualifying semi-final, loser to elimination semi-final.

Elimination play-Off: Gateshead (4th) v Hemel (5th) - winner to play away in elimination semi-final, loser eliminated.

Week 2 (September 21)

Qualifying semi-final: York (1st) v winner of qualifying play-off - winner to Grand Final, loser at home in final eliminator.

Elimination semi-final: loser of qualifying play-off v winner of elimination play-off - winner away in final eliminator, loser eliminated.

Week 3 (September 28)

Final eliminator: loser of qualifying semi-final v winner of elimination semi-final - winner to Grand Final, loser eliminated.

Week 4 (October 5)

Kingstone Press Championship One Play-off Grand Final: winner of qualifying semi-final v winner of final eliminator.