NEW BOY Harry Tyson-Wilson admits the current York City Knights squad lacks experience compared to the class of 2016 - but says they can make up for it with an abundance of enthusiasm.

The highly-rated 20-year-old half-back had three games on loan with the Knights last season from Hull FC, so is well aware just how big a turnaround of players there has been over the winter.

Many of the newcomers, like Tyson-Wilson himself, are up-and-coming League One stars in the making, as opposed to established talent, but the goalkicking play-maker reckons the new-look squad has already made big strides in pre-season under James Ford, and that their energy and appetite for work will stand them in good stead come the new campaign.

"It's been really good and I think we've progressed really quickly compared to what people maybe expected," said the Humbersider on pre-season preparations so far.

"We've lost some experience in the squad compared to last year. We're an inexperienced side but we will make up for that with enthusiasm.

"It can be important to have experience but if we're working hard, backing each other up and having that enthusiasm, it'll be all right."

Tyson-Wilson formed a half-back pairing with fellow newcomer Danny Sowerby in the opening friendly of 2017 away to Featherstone - when no fewer than 15 new faces were on show.

The duo could well pair up again when London Broncos come to Bootham Crescent this Sunday for York's first home pre-season friendly, although trialist Josh Kittrick may also get an extended run in the halves after his brief introduction at Post Office Road.

"It will take a few games to gel but that's what pre-season friendlies are for," said Tyson-Wilson of the new squad - which had to be put together quickly by the new Knights regime following the mass player exodus and uncertainty prior to their December takeover.

"It's great to get out there in games - it's what we do all the training for."

He added: "I'm just aiming to play well and be consistent, to organise the team well and play off the cuff a little now and again when the time is right.

"We haven't yet set goals as a team for the year - we're going to get through the pre-season games and see how we go. But obviously we want to do as well as possible."

Tyson-Wilson - who is joined at York this season by big brother Bobby - was a full-time pro at Hull this time last year but, while going part-time cuts down his hours in the game, he reckons the quality of coaching is still up there, with York's state-of-the-art training base at Nestle Rowntree Park comparable with those in the Super League arena.

"It's a bit different - we're training three times a week here instead of five times - but then, with the gym and facilities we've got here, it's not that big a difference," he said.

"The facilities are very similar to what we had at Hull so hopefully it will help us in our preparations and through the season."