LONDON Broncos are to bring their "strongest possible squad" to Bootham Crescent on Sunday as they put the finishing touches to their preparations for a promotion push back to Super League.

The friendly away to York City Knights will be the Broncos' last before their Championship campaign kicks off away to Swinton Lions, and, while they also have a derby against London Skolars 24 hours earlier, that clash in the capital will feature the second string as boss Andrew Henderson pledges to bring his first-choice line-up north.

The game is York's second of pre-season and promises to be another tough test for James Ford's new-look side after their opener against Featherstone, another top-end Championship side.

The Knights don't start their campaign until the League One Cup first round tie against North Wales Crusaders on February 19 so are a few weeks behind in their preparation, but Henderson still expects a good run-out.

"It's important we have a final run leading into Swinton," said Henderson, whose side could feature three former Knights in Ben Hellewell, Matt Garside and Michael Channing, as well as big guns like Wales full-back Elliot Kear, playmakers Jarrod Sammut and French star William Barthau, and former Cronulla forward Junior Roqica.

"I'm not saying people playing against the Skolars can't break into the team but at York I'll be selecting the 18 or 19 strongest available.

"I know James Ford and I like his style and how his teams play. With that kind of attacking rugby league I think they could challenge us. It can be a good hit-out for both clubs."

The Broncos have so far beaten the Newcastle Yowies - a touring indigenous side from Australia - while their under-19s have beaten Oxford and an Army XIII, all games taking place in the south.

Henderson said: "A big reason for going to York is to give the players and staff that away-day experience travelling to the North. Our first league match is up at Swinton and I didn't want that to be the first time we've had an away fixture together.

"It also gives us an opportunity to play in slightly different conditions. Where we're based in London it's a bit warmer and we're on a 3G surface. With this we'll get a good hit-out on grass and get a bit of mud on the faces and hands and get used to that a little bit."

Like opposite number Ford, Henderson played for Sheffield, Castleford and Widnes during his career, but not at the same time.

But the Aussie nevertheless said the pair knew each other and had "mutual respect".

"We know a lot of the same guys and our paths have crossed in social circles," he said. "He's been doing an excellent job since he finished playing, and he has an opportunity at York to build a team and now build a club.

"He's an intelligent and articulate character who knows his stuff."

As for York's recent off-field plight, he added: "I didn't take too much notice of what was going on but I was really pleased it got sorted.

"Jon Flatman (new owner) will be leading the way and I'm glad they decided to keep James Ford. In terms of the circumstances he's been faced with, he's done an admirable job after becoming a head coach."

On the Broncos' aims, he said: "Our long-term goal is to get back into Super League but we can't get too far ahead of ourselves and we have to target the competition we're in. We need to finish in the top four and then go into that next competition (Super 8s).

"We're in a good place as a club and a team. We're rebuilding still but we've built over the last couple of years and found our feet in the Championship, and as a club we're moving in the right direction.

"We've got a stronger squad that last year and I'm looking forward to seeing how they come together and perform."