YORK City Knights will be going “a slightly different way” at things this Sunday against Newcastle Thunder says James Ford.

Head coach Ford again faces the all-too-familiar test that is selecting a 17-man squad for the 3pm kick off at the LNER Community Stadium.

As well as loanee Jamie Ellis, who was recalled by parent club Leigh earlier this week, Tyla Hepi and Jake Sweeting have gone back to Castleford and Featherstone, respectively.

Adam Cuthbertson is out after sustaining a knee injury early on in last weekend’s loss in Cumbria.

Meanwhile, full-back Matty Marsh - who could have stepped in at half-back in Ellis’s stead - will miss out as he is isolating.

However, dedicated half-back Riley Dean has returned to the Knights on loan again from Warrington, while Brendan O'Hagan - after missing Whitehaven - is back in the 21-man squad along with fellow injury concern Kriss Brining.

Ryan Atkins, who missed out on the Haven game with a one-match suspension, is also back in.

The coach has also signalled his intentions to bring Ronan Dixon, James Green and hometown hero Joe Porter back into the fold in the middles.

“We’re in a tough situation,” Ford said. “What I’m looking for this weekend is a team full of effort, energy, enthusiasm and commitment.

“The 17 players I put out there will know their roles and responsibilities and I trust that they’re going to be fighting as hard as they can for the cause.

“We might have to come up with a slightly different way of coming at things but that’s just another challenge for us.

“As long as there’s clarity across the 17, I’m confident that we can put in a really strong performance and take a step back in the right direction.

“It’s a massive boost to bring Ryan back. He’s played really well for us all season and he was a big loss last week. To bring Ryan back into the team is brilliant.”

After starring in the Knights’ early-season Challenge Cup triumphs, former York Acorn favourite Porter has featured in just one of York’s last six matchday squads.

He started in the defeats to Wigan Warriors and Sheffield Eagles but picked up an injury in the latter which saw him miss subsequent visits to Swinton and Dewsbury.

“I felt a little bit for Joe,” Ford commented. “When he played in the middle at the start of the season, he played well. He was hard to handle, his metres-per-carry were good, his effort is always outstanding.

“And through injuries and loss of form, Joe’s ended up playing a little bit on the edge for us.

“He’s probably not played as well as we would have liked and on the back of that, he’s lost his place in the team.

“It happens to players in all sports.

“He’s worked really hard and he deserves his opportunity back in the team.

“He will bring an abundance of energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the 17.”

York: (from) Bass, Salter, Atkins, K Dixon, O'Hagan, R Dixon, Jubb, Teanby, Clarkson, Scott, Brining, Baldwinson, Stock, Kirmond, Green, Spears, Porter, Whiteley, Jones-Bishop, Towse, Washbrook.