KRISS BRINING has not played competitive rugby league for 16 months - but York City Knights boss James Ford would have no qualms about throwing him straight into the club's huge season opener on Sunday.

The Knights are themselves being chucked into the deep end on their return to the Betfred Championship, being paired against title favourites Toronto Wolfpack for a match to be aired by Sky Sports in front of an expected bumper crowd at Bootham Crescent.

And while Ford accepts the North Yorkshire-born 26-year-old will need game-time to reach his peak, having not featured for former club Salford since September 2017, he reckons the hooker could still have a positive impact against the full-time Canadian moneymen, if selected.

Former York scholar Brining, who rejoined the club on the eve of their last warm-up fixture a fortnight ago, had an excellent maiden season in Super League but missed all of 2018 with a neck problem, before being given the all-clear by medics over the winter and kick-starting his career back "home".

"I've been impressed with the physical condition he's in and he's got straight back into our systems really effectively," said Ford of Brining's efforts in training.

"It looks like we have a better player than the one that left us two years ago - Ian Watson (head coach) at Salford has done a good polishing job on him as you would expect.

"I do feel he can have a positive impact.

"Having said that, we've also got Harry Carter and Will Jubb and they are two very capable hookers so Kriss needs to perform to the highest standards to be in the side."

Ford would not say which two hookers he will run with on Sunday, with the livewire Carter back in training this week after his calf injury, and Jubb having impressed over big minutes in pre-season. Dave Petersen is also an option having done enough over the winter to win a contract.

When asked if Brining needed more time having been out for so long, the head coach said: "To see the very best of Kriss Brining and for him to fulfil his potential, then probably yes.

"But if he is selected this week, I expect to see the Kriss Brining we were used to seeing, and that's somebody who is hard to handle, aggressive in contact and has a real positive impact on York's performance."

As expected, captain Tim Spears (knee), second-row Sam Scott (calf) and Matt Chilton (knee) are ruled out of this weekend's opener, but prop Jack Blagbrough, like Carter, is in contention after returning to training and Joe Porter and Ronan Dixon have reported no ill-effects after their returns to action a fortnight ago.