YORK City Knights have pulled off a massive coup by recruiting Wakefield Trinity Wildcats forward Mark Applegarth.

The Press understands Super League club Harlequins had made enquiries about the 22-year-old, while National League One side Dewsbury Rams had a tempting offer on the table. But he has instead decided to step down another division and follow player-coach Paul March, and his brother David, from Belle Vue to Huntington Stadium.

March was delighted to have him. He said: "He's a front-row or second-row. He's got good footwork, he's strong and he can do 80 minutes. I call him a fitness freak. He loves playing 80 minutes and, for someone in the front row nowadays, that's virtually unknown.

"I'm looking for big things from him. He's only young, but he's got experience of playing at Super League level."

Applegarth has made 27 appearances in the top tier over the last few years after initially graduating from the Wildcats' academy system in 2004 - and it would have been much more but for injuries.

His 2006 campaign was blighted by a broken hand, while he played only one first-team game last season, plus some under-21s matches, because of a knee problem which required surgery.

March said: "He's been plagued by injury this year, but his knee is all sorted now and he's looking to get back into first-team football.

"He's going to university in York and he sees this as a good opportunity."

Ex-Hull KR loose-forward Tommy Gallagher will not be coming to the Knights.

The former Leeds academy ace, who had a brief loan spell at Huntington Stadium in 2003, has had talks with the club but has begun a new job in Wigan and commitments there prevent him from travelling to York.