YORK City Knights boss James Ford says he has learnt harsh lessons of 12 months ago – as he makes a raft of changes for Sunday’s visit of Coventry Bears.

Following last Sunday’s bruising, fatiguing victory at League One title rivals Bradford Bulls, Ford had seen similarities in a number of stats and fitness indicators to the stunning defeat of champions-elect Toronto Wolfpack this time last year.

While he “did nothing about it” on that occasion and saw his side slip to defeat at Keighley Cougars the following weekend, this time he will bring in fresh faces – including an entire new-look pack - for the tricky test against an in-form Bears side.

The most notable inclusion in the 17 is that at full-back, or possibly on the wing, of Matt Chilton, the deadline day recruit from amateurs York Acorn, who gets an immediate taste of semi-pro rugby.

Bootham Crescent will also get first views of last week’s trio of big signings – former NRL star Joel Edwards, who will start at loose-forward, and fellow packmen Jack Ormondroyd and Josh Jordan-Roberts, the duo who arrived from Leeds Rhinos.

Strapping six-footer Ormondroyd made an encouraging debut at Odsal while the other two watched on from the stands.

Ford admitted a number of alterations to the side are enforced by injuries, plus the departure to Leigh Centurions of dual-reg props Jordan Walne and Josh Johnson, but said: “I would have made changes anyway.

“I learned that last year after the Toronto performance and that heroic effort – followed the week after when we fell hugely short of our standards.

“There were indicators that I did nothing about when I should have done.

“Changes this time have been enforced through injuries but I would have made a number anyway.

“It gives people on the periphery of the side an opportunity to turn my head and show they’re better than the blokes who played last week.

“As I’ve regularly said, it’s a squad effort and everyone has a huge contribution to make over these last eight games.

“We’ll need everyone to be at their best in training and on game day.”

Others coming into Sunday’s 19 are hookers Will Jubb and Dan Maskill, and forwards Ronan Dixon, Mike Kelly, Dan Hawksworth and Adam Robinson.

Rotating out of the pack are skipper Tim Spears (knee), Andy Ellis (calf) and Sam Scott (hamstring, neck), while Joe Batchelor reverts to centre with Jake Butler-Fleming also rested as a precaution following his recent injury issues.

Of the forwards that played against the Bulls, only Graeme Horne, Ormondroyd and Joe Porter stay in.

Dual-reg full-back Matty Marsh (knee) is unavailable, while Harry Carter is named in the 19 but likely to be on the sidelines too after a virus.

Colton Roche remains in the treatment room.

Ford added: “We went into the Bradford game knowing a couple of people were carrying knocks. It was calculated risk and we knew we’d need to give them some time to recover.

“I don’t think anyone will be out long-term – it’ll be one maybe two weeks and after that we will have a fully fit squad.”

Regarding the after-effects of last year’s stunning win over Toronto – when the Knights won only once more in the remainder of the season – Ford was asked if he feared a similar comedown following the toppling of fellow full-timers Bradford.

He said: “No. We’ve got a different playing group, the mentality of the squad is different, and the commitment to things is different.

“You can see that in the commitment to defend our goal-line – it’s not a York City Knights performance unless we defend our goal-line for 20 minutes.

“They’re fully aware of the situation we’re in and the mindset is we perform as well as we can.”

Knights (probable): Chilton, Robson, Hey, Batchelor, Mazive, Cockayne, C Robinson, Horne, Jubb, Ronan Dixon, Jordan-Roberts, Kelly, Edwards. Subs: from Maskill, Ormondroyd, Porter, Hawksworth, A Robinson, Carter.

Coventry: Bass, Freeman, Morley-Samuels, Pearce-Paul, Chapman, Stead, Rice-Wilson, Gover, Williams, Lloyd-Jones, Sherratt, Barratt, Vitalini. Subs: from Davis, Geurtjens, Mason, Ogden, Rice-Wilson, Ryan, Bateman.