YORK City Knights chief James Ford has potentially stoked the fires ahead of Good Friday’s Kingstone Press League One clash by questioning Doncaster’s use of dual-registration players so far this season.

The game was already deemed a grudge match given it is the first time Ford has gone head-to-head with old boss Gary Thornton since replacing him as Knights head coach 17 months ago, plus the number of players who have recently swapped sides.

The result will also be a big pointer towards both teams’ promotion aspirations.

And Ford may have inadvertently fanned the flames when asked if he thought the likes of Super League stars Iafeta Paleaaesina and Kirk Yeaman would be freed up by Doncaster's partner club, Hull, to line up against his side.

Paleaaesina played in both of the Dons' previous league wins over Gloucestershire All Golds and Keighley, and Yeaman turned out against the All Golds, but both - along with other DR players - were withdrawn ahead of Friday's heavy Challenge Cup defeat to Hunslet, a game which saw former Knights enforcer Joe Pickets sent off.

“I’m not sure about that (if that pair would play on Friday), but I wouldn’t be surprised if Doncaster look to utilise a couple of young Hull players," said Ford.

“What team they put out is up to Gary and Carl Hall (chief executive).

“They’ve got a big squad at Donny - they made a big deal of signing 30-odd players - so maybe they’ll play their own guys.

“But I understand it’s about getting the two points and, if they think playing DR players is their best chance of beating us, that’s what they have to do.”

It is unclear how often the likes of Paleaaesina or Yeaman will be made available for Donny this season.

But it is not a new issue for Thornton, who had been left "disappointed" with how the old York-Hull agreement worked out while he was boss at the Knights.

Either way, Ford said: “Paleaaesina is a real handful for anyone and Kirk Yeaman is obviously dangerous at this level – he’s an England international.

“But is that really what dual-reg is for? For me, it’s for up-and-coming players, not players who have already made their name at Super League level.

“Playing Paleaaesina against an expansion club like Gloucestershire who are looking to make their way at this level? I don’t know.

“I’m not sure that’s in the spirit of dual-reg, although obviously I understand it is a results business.

“In the games I’ve seen, the dual-reg players, when they’ve played, have played well.

“But Doncaster have got their own good, strong players in their own right. If I was them, would I be frustrated to be left out willy-nilly for a dual-reg player? Probably.

"Gary has got enough experience to be able to handle these kinds of situations well, though, and I’m sure when those players get their chance they’ll be determined to show him they deserve to play week in week out for their chosen club.”