YORK City Knights prop James Green says he is enjoying the challenge of his role as an impact interchange.

The front-rower has been singled out by head coach James Ford for his efforts in both the friendly defeat to Hull FC and Betfred Challenge Cup win at Sheffield Eagles.

Green made a crucial impact off the bench in the win at the Eagles, with his strong carries laying the platform early in the sets for quick-fire tries scored by Kriss Brining and Ben Jones-Bishop before half-time.

The former Castleford Tigers and Hull Kingston Rovers middle explained the differences in starting as opposed to being introduced as a substitute.

“Although you’re playing the same position, the way you approach it is completely different,” said Green. “If you look at our team and most starting middles in rugby league, they tend to play a 25-minute block in one go.

“With me coming off the bench, I’ll do 15 minutes before half-time and then 15 minutes after and that’s broken up with a 10-minute sit-down.

“Rather than me having to conserve my energy for 25 minutes, I’m just told to go out there and put my all into those two 15-minute blocks and that allows me to blow myself out a little bit more rather than be conservative.

“It’s a role that I’ve played for the majority of my career. I would like to see some more minutes on the field, but if this is the role that Fordy wants me to play and that’s the role that’s going to put the team in the best position, then I’m happy to continue doing it.

“It comes with the pressure of trying to change the game in our favour, if we’re behind or things are a little stagnant but it’s definitely a challenge I’m enjoying.”

Green also praised Ford for the simplicity of his messaging about his position.

“My role is simply to come off the bench and carry hard and try and be as awkward as possible,” he said. “Fordy has kept it as simple as that for me, so I’ve just got one thing to focus on and I need to do that for the team.

“If I don’t then there’s good-quality middles in our squad that didn’t make it in at the weekend that could take my spot.”

Competition among the forwards is rife at the Knights, with last season’s regular starters Ronan Dixon and Sam Scott not involved last week and new recruit Adam Cuthbertson and ex-captain Tim Spears set to return from injuries soon.

“None of us are in a position where we can ever get comfortable,” Green added.

“I’m sure you’ll have picked up from conversations with Fordy that he’s a very hard man to please. There’s always something that you could be doing better or could be improved.

“Having the quality of players that missed out at the weekend, people like Cuthbertson and Dixon, in my position, I know full well that if I’m off the boil ever-so-slightly then they’re prepared to come in and do a job.”