HEAD coach James Ford is hoping big Brett Waller is returning to his top "wrecking ball" form at just the right time for York City Knights.

Ford singled out the 6ft 4in 20st man mountain for special praise after Sunday's 30-4 victory over London Skolars, a result which guaranteed the team a place in the Kingstone Press League One promotion play-offs.

The 28-year-old's display - his best for some time, capped by a second-half try - helped the Knights win the battle up top despite losing fellow prop Mark Applegarth to a calf injury. And Ford is hoping for more of the same at the business end of the season, especially if key man Applegarth is now sidelined.

"One person I want to mention is Brett Waller," said Ford when assessing the team's Sunday showing.

"He was outstanding. He carried the ball strongly, he got on top of people, sped the game up and worked hard in defence. Technical things in his defence were also very good."

Waller, who earned the nickname "Wrecking Ball" in his first spell with York, has been on and off the boil at times this term, but Ford said he was still willing to learn and improve.

"I'm really chuffed he's taking things on board even at 28 and playing like that," he said.

"When you're that big it can be hard when the game is slow (like it was on Sunday) but he was immense."

Applegarth and winger Austin Buchanan are major doubts for at least the last two games of the Super 8s, at home to Doncaster on Thursday night and at Keighley Cougars on Sunday, after joining the injury list.

And Ford said he would look to rotate what is left of his squad for these two games.

"We've got two more games this week and we'll want to utilise the full squad and minimise the risk of more injuries," he explained.

"At the same time we want to win as many games as we can."

The Knights went above Doncaster on Sunday into fourth place in the table, but the Dons are also virtually guaranteed a play-off place too, despite losing to Rochdale, due to their superior points-difference compared to that of Hunslet Hawks, the only team who can mathematically usurp them.

Whoever finishes fourth - York or Doncaster - will go to the team in third in the play-off semi-finals, with the team in fifth travelling to the team that loses the promotion final between the top two.

As things stand, Toulouse will host that promotion final against either Barrow or Rochdale, who are level on points in second and third going into the final weekend.

The Cumbrians are clear ahead on points-difference in second but their last match is away to Toulouse while the Hornets are at home to Hunslet.

Meanwhile, former Knights player-coach Paul March's job as Keighley boss is in severe danger after his side failed to make the play-offs. It has been widely reported that his contract was set to end if the Cougars did not win promotion this year. His last game in charge could therefore be Sunday's visit of York.