HOMEGROWN hooker Kriss Brining has signed a new deal for 2022 with York City Knights.

The 27-year-old came through the club’s old scholarship system and became the youngest player to turn out for the Knights when he made his debut in 2011.

He made 86 appearances across five seasons, scoring 53 tries, before signing with Super League outfit in 2017.

Scarborough-born Brining returned to the Knights in 2019, making 25 appearances in that season, before a further three in the aborted 2020 campaign.

Last season was an injury-plagued one for Brining, though he did manage an appearance and try at Wembley Stadium in the 1895 Cup final against Featherstone Rovers.

And Brining is relishing the challenge of competing for a York City Knights spot next year with other hookers Will Jubb and Sam Davis.

“I’m really happy to be staying," Brining said. "There’s no other club that I’d want to play for. It’s well known what happened last year with injuries and I needed another chance, really, to repay everybody.

“It’s good for everyone in every position to have competition. Will is a top player and Sam, from what I’ve seen of him at London, is as well, so it will get the best out of all three of us.

"For us to be the club we want to be, and can be, then you need strength in depth. I’m raring to go.

“I feel sorry for letting people down – especially Jubby, I’ve probably knocked five years off his career with the minutes he’s had to play over the last year.

“The fans, the players, the coaches - I feel I sort of let them down last year, so I’m really keen to put that right.

“I’m really looking forward to playing in front of them. When you get injured a couple of times in a year, you’re sort of fearing the worst. I saw all the lads at the last game and I thought that there was no way I could stop playing after seeing that. I realised I needed to get back out there and give it another go to repay everyone.”

Head coach Ford said: “Kriss has shown over a number of years that, when he’s fit and healthy, he’s up there with the best hookers in the competition.

“His explosive running and tackling is a boost to any side. I’m very confident that, having two other hookers, we’re in a position where we don’t have to rush Kriss back from setbacks and that we can take our time in getting him lean, fit and fast.”