AUSTIN BUCHANAN has taken heed of a rollicking from medical staff - after admitting eagerness to get back fit quickly may have backfired.

The 31-year-old winger, who re-signed for York City Knights in the off-season after a decade at Dewsbury Rams, was aiming to be fit for the start of York's season against Hunslet in the iPro Sport Cup on February 21 following a hernia operation in December.

But a setback in his rehab - ostensibly caused by the player pushing himself too hard - has seen that target revised to the first game of the League One campaign on March 6.

“I had a bit of setback. I tried going a bit too hard at first a couple of weeks ago but I’m back on the straight and narrow now," said Buchanan, who was due to see the surgeon again tomorrow hoping to get the all-clear to start full-contact training in the next week or two.

“I tried to train after two weeks when I should have left it four weeks.

“I’ve had that number of setbacks at the back end of my career that I really wanted to get started with York - I was itching to get in and train with the lads and get in a position to help the team.

“As soon as I was allowed to start jogging I decided to start running and sprinting.

“The physio has had a go at me and told me I needed to slow it down and sort myself out.

“When I first had the operation, the surgeon said it would be six to ten weeks before I’m back. The physio said eight to 12 weeks. So I decided it would be six weeks.

“Without the setback I maybe would have been ready for the first cup match. As it is I hope to be back for the first league match.

“I wasn’t allowed to lift weights or push anything. The doctor said as soon as I feel pain, stop. But me being me I didn’t stop and I kept training.

"It was my own fault."

Buchanan has still taken part in some sessions, alongside coach James Ford, and has been impressed by his hungry new team-mates - enough to make him reiterate his desire to win promotion this year.

He said: “I’m looking forward to getting out there with the boys, learning the plays and putting stuff together.

“I’ve done a bit with the lads after my rehab sessions. I’ve helped James Ford with some of the coaching. They’re looking really well.

“They’re a young, enthusiastic bunch. There are a lot of players who could play at a higher level with more experience.

“If we get that confidence at the start of the season we could go on a very good run.

“I will be disappointed if we don’t get promoted. That has to be the aim. If I can have a hand in that, then I will.”

Buchanan was the Knights' representative at the 2016 season launch yesterday.

Having looked around the room at the opposition, he warned: “I’m not 100 per cent sure how the new Super 8s and play-offs will work but there are some very good teams and very good players in this league.

“There are teams that should do well – York, Doncaster, Hunslet, Rochdale, Barrow and teams like that – and there are teams that could surprise you, like Toulouse, who look like they’ve have a decent side, and North Wales.

“Then there are teams that aren’t supposed to do well but will want to start on the front foot.

“It will be a difficult league but it’s one we’re relishing, hoping to turn some heads. We will see how it goes week by week. We’re really looking forward to it.”