THE chances of 2015 double Player of the Year Greg Minikin returning to York City Knights at some point this year have not been ruled out - though it could depend on whether the dual-registration tie-up with Castleford Tigers continues.

Minikin, the Players' Player and joint-Press Player of the Year last term, is poised to play against his old mates on Friday when his new club Cas come to Bootham Crescent for the Knights' delayed first outing of 2016.

But while the 20-year-old is very much in the first-team picture at Wheldon Road, he faces stern competition for places to break into the side straight away and, should he start the Super League season out of the 17, then a temporary switch elsewhere becomes an option.

The same applies to former York Acorn ARLC junior Ash Robson, who has been catching the eye in pre-season for the Tigers but may potentially be sent out on loan this year to gain experience at open-age pro level.

That is where dual-reg could play into the Knights' hands.

Head coach James Ford - who was key to Minikin's rise through the ranks at York and is also known to be an admirer of Robson - would not say if the partnership between York and Cas was likely to continue into a third year, but he did say discussions were ongoing and that he thought the arrangement "worked well" last term in his maiden season in charge.

Ford said: "The relationships are good between the clubs and discussions are ongoing at the relevant levels.

"We need to get confirmation from Cas as to what they want to do and we will go from there."

Ford used three dual-reg players last year - Jordan Howden for 17 games on an effective long loan, James Clare for seven games before Cas sold him to Bradford Bulls, and Michael Channing for seven matches before he was recalled and likewise made unavailable for the Knights' play-off push.

Said the Knights boss: "I thought we used dual-reg very appropriately last year. When we required cover, we had quality players and quality people coming to supplement our squad.

"I thought it worked well for us last year, apart from the back end of the season when we lost access to James and Michael, though I understood the situation and why Castleford needed to do what was best for them.

"To have potential access to players of similar calibre this year if we required it would only be a positive for me and the club.

"Then again, if my players play at the standards they're capable of and conduct and apply themselves in the way we went them to, the chances of using (dual-reg) players would be severely reduced."