YORK City Knights brought in a third loan player from Castleford this week in England Academy ace Jordan Thompson – and with his arrival comes another quandary for head coach Dave Woods.

Those who saw the 19-year-old centre in the two pre-season friendlies against York will know he looks a very good prospect, along with the other two lads – forwards John Davies and Nathan Massey – who have already made temporary moves to Huntington Stadium.

The fact he played 15 times in Super League last season is also testament to that, so few Knights fans, if any, will bemoan his arrival.

However, one or two lads already at the club might be wondering where they stand.

Duane Straugheir, Matt Garside and last season’s Championship One top points-scorer, Lee Waterman, probably thought a few weeks ago they’d be the ones battling it out for the two centre berths, especially after Mike Mitchell decided to take time out of the game and with Mark Barlow being used more as a pivot. Straugheir’s injury gave Garside and Waterman first dabs.

But we’ve recently seen Ian Bell, a former Super League centre, albeit a man with a controversial past, rejoin the ranks, and now Thompson, too, will be vying for a berth in the three-quarters.

And five into two does not go.

Competition for places is never a bad thing, but is it a blow to those lads who did the hard work in pre-season to now be potentially usurped?

Woods said: “You can look at it both ways. If blokes are doing the job and performing and doing what we’re asking them to do, we wouldn’t need to look at bringing others in.

“But when we’re not doing the right things, we would need to look at strengthening.”

That would suggest he feels the Knights needed strengthening at centre, and the fact Thompson’s arrival comes within a week of the nightmare at London Skolars – when the Knights drew with the Championship One minnows in arguably the team’s worst showing since Woods took the helm – might be seen as more than coincidence.

But Woods said: “It’s not a reaction to Skolars. We weren’t happy with the performances of people down there. But we’ve said all along if quality players come up and we think it would make us better, we’d look at adding them to the squad.”

This column last week discussed the dilemma Woods faced ahead of the trip to the capital, of whether to rest some first-teamers against weaker opposition or reward those same lads who had done it tough against Barrow and Featherstone, albeit in defeat, with an easier task and the chance of picking up some winning pay down in the capital.

As The Press’s match report on Monday said, he may have regretted not giving more fringe players a run-out after the team’s below-par show.

This week, the decision on whether to give newcomers Bell and Thompson the centre spots would seem to be a new quandary for a man who has a reputation for being fair on lads who give 100 per cent.

The Aussie was nevertheless delighted to have Thompson in his armoury.

“It’s good for us,” he said of the hot prospect’s arrival. “It gives us another attacking option and he’s got a good defence as well.

“It also sends notice to players that we mean business. Players must perform each week.”


ON the subject of loan moves, it would seem Scott Woods might not be the only Knight set to go out on a temporary deal.

The 20-year-old scrum-half is going to Championship One outfit Gateshead, initially for a month but with an option of staying longer, to get more open age experience.

His dad, Knights coach Dave, is a believer in using the loan system both ways, to get better players in and to send some of his own players out in order to develop. And he suggested more such moves for his fringe first-teamers could be afoot.

Woods senior said: “If we can get some loan deals so some players are getting decent footy at that slightly easier level, we would look at doing it.”


TOMORROW’S attendance at Huntington Stadium might be boosted by the Castleford trio’s presence in York’s line-up against Keighley.

This is because Cas season ticket holders will be allowed to watch them in action for a cut-price £5, if they show their Tigers pass at turnstile two (car park end). Cas themselves have no game.

Tigers fans can get further details by phoning the Knights on 01904 767404 or visiting www.yorkcityknights.co.uk


Thorman follows Finn as Northern Player of Round

PLAYING against York seems to be quite helpful when it comes to winning the Northern Rail Player of the Round award.

Featherstone’s Liam Finn won the accolade for his performance against the Knights a fortnight ago, and this week’s award has gone to London Skolars’ 26-year-old captain, Neil Thorman, after he helped the Championship One minnows draw 16-16 with Dave Woods’ men.

Skolars director Mark Croston said of the one-time Knights pivot: “His skills and leadership ability mark him out as one of the best players in the league.

“He led from the front the front and his ability to move the ball quickly to keep York on the back foot, combined with his ability to stick to the game plan, was vital for us.

“We were disappointed not to win. We were strong in the second half and I think the team’s performance and commitment was fantastic.”


FROM a Knights perspective, the less said about last week the better, so we’ll only quickly run through the latest Press Player of the Year points.

Nobody stood out as man of the match in what was an awful performance in an awful match in awful conditions, but our choice was Jack Lee, followed by Dave Sutton and John Davies.

They collect three, two and one points respectively for their player of the year tallies.

Press Player of the Year standings: Davies 6pts, Lee 4, Jones 3, Thorman 2, Sutton 2, Massey 1.


DON’T forget Press Player of the Month votes will be due in after tomorrow’s game against Keighley.

Whoever tops this poll of Press readers will be presented with the February award pitch-side ahead of a Huntington Stadium game.

Those who vote may get the chance to present the award.

Vote online or email peter.martini@thepress.co.uk giving your name and daytime phone number, as well as your nomination. Voting closes at noon on Wednesday.

As usual, Player of the Month votes also play a part in The Press Player of the Year standings, as three bonus player of the year points go to whoever tops each monthly poll.