Boss Thorman puts Knights on cup alert (From York Press)

Boss Thorman puts Knights on cup alert

6:31am Saturday 6th March 2010 in

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CHRIS THORMAN will take his York City Knights outfit home tomorrow with a strong warning they must be on their guard to avoid a painful shock.

The Knights go to Championship One adversaries Gateshead for a Challenge Cup third round tie (kick off 3pm).

And, while Geordie Thorman acknowledged York were favourites against a side who are yet to win this term, conceding 190 points in four games, he believes in the old cliché that form goes out of the window in cup rugby.

Gateshead’s rugby director, Chris Hood, has also said new-look Thunder are improving at the right time in order to spring a surprise.

Said Thorman: “Form when it comes to the Challenge Cup does not really mean anything.

“I know what they’re about, and, just like with London Skolars, they will get our utmost respect. We’ll be expecting a tough game, especially with them at home. The magic of the cup never ceases to amaze and there are surprises around every corner. We need to make sure there’s no surprise in store for us.”

Thorman, a Challenge Cup finalist when skippering Huddersfield in defeat to St Helens in 2006, has played only once at Gateshead’s International Stadium during his professional days, also in the cup, when the Giants beat the North Easterners.

But he still sees tomorrow’s game as a return home.

“I played there as a kid many times in nines and sevens festivals so I’m familiar with the stadium,” said the 29-year-old, whose mum, Phyllis, used to be on the board at the Thunder while his younger brothers, Paul and Neil, began their careers there.

“I’m more than happy to go back. There are a lot of people I know at the club and it will be nice to see some old faces. Hopefully it won’t be nice for them during the match.”

Player/caretaker-coach Thorman named a provisional 20-man squad, leaving it late to decide his 17. Aussie Casey Bromilow will replace Jonathan Schofield at scrum-half, though, while fit-again Steve Lewis could come back on the wing in place of Danny Wilson, who misses out on a return to his former club due to a rib injury.

Young wideman Tom Stancliffe was also in the 20, while former Featherstone prop John Fallon could come in for his long-awaited competitive debut.

Thorman added: “We’ve got a big squad with players who can play in different positions and we’re still trying to find the right combinations.

“It’s the Challenge Cup and it’s an important competition, but we figure we can give people opportunities still. We also want to share the work-load around.”

As previously reported, the two dual-registered recruits, Jordan Thompson and John Davies, will not be involved as Castleford do not want them cup-tied. Forward Davies, 19, was also named in Cas’ provisional 19-man party for their Super League match at Hull last night.

Gateshead’s dual-registered Cas player, Richard Lopag, will also not play in the tie, though that is largely down to the good form of current wing incumbents Robin Peers and Joe Brown.

Centre Michael Brown and Jamie Atkinson, 18th man last week, are illness doubts, though Matt Garside and Mark Walker could return from injury.

Hood said: “York have had some good wins, but Whitehaven felt the same (at the same stage) last year and we beat them. If we’re going to stay under people’s radars that’s better for me than for them.”

Gateshead: from Elliot, Peers, Neighbour, M Brown, J Brown, Duffy, Bate, Parker, Clarke, Cakacaka, Humphries, Wilson, Aderiye, Welton, Cash, Young, Barron, Atkinson, Garside, Walker.

Knights: from Ratcliffe, Reittie, Lewis, Mitchell, Waterman, Stancliffe, Thorman, Bromilow, Stamp, McLocklan, Applegarth, Fallon, Freer, Benson, Waller, Clough, Ross, Hill, Hardbottle, Blakeway.

Referee: Craig Halloran (Dewsbury).