YORK City Knights coach Mick Cook has ruled out a return to Huntington Stadium for Danny Brough.

There has been speculation that the young half-back, who joined Super League club Hull at the end of last season after setting points and goals in a season records for York, might be loaned out to a National League club as he battles to break into the Airlie Birds' first team.

The Knights would naturally be mentioned as a possible loan club, but Cook says any such rumour is wide of the mark.

"There is no substance behind it," he said. "I'm happy with the half-back pairing at the moment and I know nothing of rumours about Danny Brough coming back. As far as I know he's fighting for a place in the Hull team."

Chris Levy has taken over Brough's number seven shirt and has also been given the armband, while Lee Paterson has impressed at stand-off in the last two games.

Cook added: "We've got a bucketful of half-backs. There's Chris Levy, who's the captain at present, Scott Rhodes is coming back and there are also the Thorman brothers (Neil and Paul)."

Rhodes meanwhile will undergo a fitness test tonight with a view to playing his first game of the year at home to Featherstone Rovers on Sunday.

The Knights Players' Player of the Year had shoulder surgery over the closed season but he has been training for a few weeks and if passed fit will go into the 17.

Checks will also be made on centres Neil Law (leg) and Dan Potter (shoulder) and prop Tom Buckenham (dead leg) after they picked up niggles at Fev last week.

The latter's loan deal from Doncaster will end after this weekend unless the Dragons allow him to play in next week's Powergen Challenge Cup tie against Elland, which is unlikely. An extended loan period, however, has not been ruled out.

Updated: 09:34 Thursday, March 03, 2005