VETERAN schemer Jonny Presley is set to feature for the first time this year when York City Knights take on Hull FC in their final pre-season fixture on Monday night.

New recruits Harry Tyson-Wilson and Danny Sowerby are lined up to start the campaign at half-back and have paired up at six and seven for the bulk of the two friendlies to date. They had a hand in each of the four tries against London Broncos, too.

But head coach James Ford is a big fan of Presley and, after persuading him to stay on for another season in a new player/assistant-coach role, he is keen to get the 32-year-old back out on the field to blow off cobwebs - and push the two young pretenders for a playmaking role.

Trialist Josh Kittrick is also set for more game-time as Ford works out whether to offer the former Newcastle and Doncaster half-back a deal.

"I think we'll see Jonny Presley having a run, certainly with us having a game the following Sunday," said Ford, intimating Tyson-Wilson and Sowerby may save their legs for the season-opening League One Cup tie at home to North Wales Crusaders.

"It would be good for Harry and Danny to get more game time together but we can have a look at other partnerships at half-back, with Jonny and 'Kitty' other options.

"Jonny has been an outstanding player here, certainly in my time as coach, and he's in great physical condition for a man of his age."

The trial periods for Kittrick, Joe Porter and Matty Downes, meanwhile, have been extended by an extra week after the club received special permission from the Rugby Football League, and they will all feature on Monday, perhaps heavily.

"We requested it because we wanted a bit more time to have a look at them," explained Ford. "I don't think the two trial games we've had gave us enough opportunity to see where they're at, and the RFL have been brilliant about it."

Monday's game at Bootham Crescent kicks off at 7.30pm.

Meanwhile, Ford reckoned London Broncos' result on the opening day of the Championship season was no real indicator of the Knights' condition ahead of their own League One campaign.

The Broncos, widely tipped for a top-four finish in the Championship this year, had to come from behind to win 26-23 at Swinton Lions last week, seven days after beating York 46-22 in their last friendly of pre-season.

"Swinton are an excellent team who play a really exciting brand of rugby going forward," said Ford of the side that beat York to promotion in 2015.

"Going there is tough and London will have had to dig in to get the win. Does it reflect on our performance against them? Not really. Swinton are are a team who will want to challenge for the top six in that competition."

Ford was also asked about Rochdale's eye-opening result on their return to the Championship.

Ford's team beat the Hornets three times out of three last year but it was the Spotland side who went up, and they began with a 46-0 hammering of Dewsbury.

That victory came after Rochdale boss Alan Kilshaw had questioned the Rams' dual-registration agreement with Wakefield and specifically Trinity boss Chris Chester's decision to send four players to their partner club for that match in order to "get game time".

"I speak to Alan Kilshaw quite a lot and I read his comments about dual-reg, and it did make me chuckle," said Ford, alluding to Rochdale having themselves benefitted from a dual-reg link-up with Warrington last year.

"We had a bit of banter going backwards and forwards.

"It was a great performance, though, and I'm chuffed for them. He's obviously an outstanding coach and I will follow their results this year and hope they stay up.

"Hopefully we'll have the opportunity to play them again sooner rather than later."