YORK City Knights have suffered a major blow even before pre-season begins in earnest - with Micky Learmonth sidelined for at least six months after a freak injury.

The 20-year-old prop, who only agreed new terms with the club a fortnight ago, suffered a severe pectoral injury during routine strength testing - pulled a tendon off the bone and needing an operation to have it reattached.

It happened as the 2016 squad convened for the first time at the weekend for testing sessions, prior to starting pre-season proper next Tuesday at their York St John University facility.

Head coach James Ford said: "We were all very upset for him, devastated.

"He's had some bad luck over the last couple of years hasn't he. Hopefully this is the last of it.

"We have to be really careful with his rehabilitation."

Asked if this was the "best" time to suffer such an injury, meaning he misses fewer games than if it occurred in mid-season, Ford said: "There's never a good time for it.

"Hopefully he will be back for the Super 8s. He's a fit young man and I'm sure he will recover quickly. I'm confident we will see him play next season."

The 2016 League One season sees the 15 teams play each other once from March to early July before the top 8 break off in a Super 8s mini-league in the race for promotion - mirroring that in rugby league's top two tiers - while the bottom seven compete for the League One Shield.