JAMES FORD believes that the new law changes surrounding the play-the-ball will be reviewed once again in the coming weeks.

The York City Knights head coach saw his side punished on multiple occasions for infringements at the play-the-ball in their most recent friendly away to Bradford Bulls, following on from new law changes which were announced by the RFL last week.

The RFL stated that "the responsibility of the tackled player 'to maintain balance and control and make a genuine attempt to make contact on the ball with the foot'.

"It is also the tackled player’s responsibility to place the ball on the ground at their feet and not on a defender – and a failure to fulfil any of those requirements (balance, control, placing the ball on the ground and making a genuine attempt to play it with the foot) will be ruled a lost ball (not a penalty), leading to a scrum."

Ford doesn't think that the law will be in place for long.

“Coaches have actually had a big input into this," he said.

“But, I think that they’ll probably change it, give it round five, round ten.

“I think that we’ve been done for it four or five times, Bradford (have been done for it) probably twice.

“Brad Hey got done for it, Bassy (Jason Bass) (got done for it), where they were stone wall penalties to us last season.

“The players have earned the right to play the ball quickly and they’re putting the ball down and somebody comes and kicks it by accident. Surely that’s a penalty to us.

“But, the rules are the rules for now.

“I’m sure that it will remain for another five or six weeks, then they’ll probably look at changing it.”

Elsewhere at the Knights, the club confirmed on Friday that 16-year-old Heworth pair Myles Harrison and AJ Towse had signed for the club on community dual registration terms following a successful trial period.

Outside back Towse and full-back or half-back Harrison featured in York's opening pre-season friendly at Featherstone, having previously been on the club's EXCEL+ programme.

“They’re two lads with great attitude," said Ford.

"Obviously, no one has a crystal ball and can say one way or the other whether that player will be a first-team professional or not.

“People that do say that they can, I beg to differ and the stats say that they can’t.

“We want to help their development and give them the best opportunity that we can.

“They’ve signed on community dual registration (terms) so that they can train with us and they train with Heworth and play for Heworth as well.

“Because we haven’t got an Academy side, they get to carry on playing and developing under Scott Rhodes, who is a good coach.

“And, obviously we can guide them from our end as well."

Given their eligibility to train and play for both clubs, Ford sees flexibility in how their schedules will pan out moving forward.

“We’ve had a brief chat," said Ford of his conversations on their training schedule.

"They’ll probably train with us on a Tuesday and Friday and playing for Heworth on a Saturday.

“If, for example, they (Heworth) really need them all week for their preparations, we’ll work with that.

“If they don’t need them on that week, then we’ll take them for that week.

“There will probably be some conversations between Heworth and York regarding where they are and what they’re doing.

But ultimately, what’s important is that both clubs have got the players best interests at heart.”

Heworth coach and former Knights half-back Rhodes added: “I’m pleased for both players. They have shown a level of commitment and hard work around a Championship quality squad and they have been rewarded for it.

“The community dual registration agreement is perfect for all parties, the Knights get to work with two talented local lads and I have two young players available to challenge for a place in our NCL team at Heworth."