DAVE PETERSEN is likely to be given Tim Spears' big boots to fill when York City Knights kick off the new season on Sunday with their highly-anticipated clash against star-studded Toronto Wolfpack.

Club captain Spears is sidelined for the start of promoted York's Championship campaign due to a knee injury, and former Hull KR, Workington and Sheffield player Petersen, who arrived in the Minster city on trial over the winter, is poised to get the task of taking on his tireless role at loose-forward.

Big new signing Kriss Brining, who returned to the Knights on the eve of the season, also goes straight into the 17, likely to start on the bench as impact replacement hooker for Will Jubb.

Brining, a product of York's youth system and the club's star player before joining Salford two years ago, has not played since September 2017 after a neck injury sidelined him for all of 2018.

Jason Bass, who was playing for League One minnows Coventry last year, is set to be chucked into the big time, lining up at centre against either Ricky Leutele or Chase Stanley - two of the Wolfpack's southern hemisphere international superstars.

Head coach James Ford will almost certainly run with three forwards on the bench, although if a change is needed in the backs, former Hull KR star Liam Salter could lead a reshuffle by switching from second-row to centre.

On his match-day selection, Ford said: "I feel we've improved throughout our pre-season programme and we've trained to a very high level.

"There's been a few close calls and the players involved in those close decisions will be aware of that and why they've missed out and what they need to do to give themselves the best opportunity to be in the team.

"I can only pick 17 this week but we're going to need everyone in the squad to play for York at some point this year and we're probably going to need to reinforce the squad later down the line.

"People will be disappointed but it's a club effort not just a team effort and I expect everyone to pull in the same direction."

All six of Toronto's high-profile off-season recruits will feature for the Wolfpack.

Samoa international Leutele, brought in from Cronulla Sharks, former Widnes stars Joe Mellor, at half-back, and Tom Olbison, up top, back-rower Bodene Thompson and St Helens legend Jon Wilkin, at loose-forward, are all poised to start.

French international prop Gadwin Springer, who joined from Castleford, will be on the bench.

Toronto have enjoyed two impressive run-outs in pre-season - losing 24-14 to Super League side Hull KR before seeing off Bradford Bulls 48-12 at Odsal - and new boss Brian McDermott has a fully fit squad to choose from.

Others to watch include former NRL and New Zealand international centre Stanley, goalkicking former Salford full-back Gareth O'Brien, ex-Warrington winger Matty Russell, and Aussie scrum-half Blake Wallace.

Knights: from Marsh, Robson, Bass, Hey, Whiteley, Mazive, Cockayne, Robinson, Horne, Jubb, Teanby, Jordan-Roberts, Salter, Petersen, Brining, R Dixon, Blagbrough, Porter, Mazive, Stock.

Toronto (probable): O'Brien, Wheeler, Stanley, Leutele, Russell, Mellor, Wallace, Olbison, Ackers, Lussick, A Dixon, Thompson, Wilkin. Subs: Higson, Emmitt, Sidlow, Springer.