IN March it was Harry Carter and now in April it's fellow hooker Kriss Brining.

The 22-year-old try-machine has been named The Press Player of the Month after his startling return to form - including a surge to the top of the early League One try-scoring charts.

Having kicked off last month with a fine display in the iPro Sport Cup quarter-final win at Rochdale, setting up their charge to the final, Brining then scored three, one and two tries in their next three games respectively against Hemel, Dewsbury and South Wales Scorpions.

His all-round game was up there, too, with crisper passing from play-the-balls along with those deceptively powerful surges out of dummy-half, all helping to keep James Ford's men unbeaten against League One opposition so far this term.

Such form surely leaves Knights fans even more delighted than they already were that their crowd favourite turned down a move to Championship contenders Featherstone at the start of the season.

"This month's award could have gone to a number of players - there have been numerous outstanding contributions," said head coach Ford, alluding to the likes of half-back Jonny Presley, second-row Josh Tonks and the team's middle unit as a whole.

"Kriss has been up there with the best of them.

"Defensively he's got through his work with a lot of intent and has lifted us when coming off the interchange bench with his tackling and contacts, and he's been his usual self with his running game.

"His all-round organisation is improving at the same time, and it's pleasing to see him maturing into a leader."

Brining's recent efforts have also taken him to the summit of the division's try list with seven, level with Keighley's Hamish Barnes and Toulouse ace Kuni Minga, despite having played only four league games due to the team's cup commitments.

It follows on from last year when he bagged 23 in only 19 appearances either side of injury.

Added Ford: "His try scoring record over the last year or so has been outstanding.

"Hopefully that will continue and help to give us every chance of achieving our goals."

Asked if it all justified the North Yorkshire-born star's decision to stay at his local club rather than switch to Featherstone, Ford said: "It's a big feather in the cap for us and for the environment we've created here.

"It shows we can compete with the bigger clubs around us, maybe not financially just yet but in other ways, and that we're going in the right direction.

"It would not surprise me if bigger clubs than Featherstone have taken note of his performances but hopefully we can continue helping him to develop and fulfil all his potential."

THE Player of the Month award sees Kriss Brining handed three bonus points for his The Press Player of the Year tally, lifting him into third place in the standings behind early leader Harry Carter and Richard Wilkinson.

Jonny Presley is the other big mover this week, thanks to his man-of-the-match rating against Gloucestershire All Golds last week (3pts). He therefore joins Brining in third.

James Morland excelled on the wing against the All Golds and was deemed our second-best player on the day (2pts), while two-try Brett Turner nicked third place (1pt) in our ratings after impressing on his return to full-back.

The Press Player of the Year leaderboard: Carter 11pts, Wilkinson 8, Brining 6, Presley 6, E Smith 5, Spiers 4, Morland 4, Turner 4, Emmett 3, Nicklas 3, Applegarth 3, Tonks 3, Crowther 3, Buchanan 2, Mallinder 1.

TOULOUSE centre Bastien Ader has been banned for four games after being found guilty of biting.

His club denied the incident, which occurred in the 28-28 draw with Rochdale last month, but Ader was found guilty of the Grade 'E' charge of biting Hornets’ Lewis Galbraith by a Rugby Football League tribunal.

He will be back in plenty of time for the Knights' visit to Toulouse in early July.