TON-UP Kriss Brining has reached a century of appearances for York City Knights and is closing in on another club landmark - but he was quick to insist he has much more to give.

The Scarborough-born 25-year-old, who returned to his boyhood club on the eve of this season, made his 14th outing of term in last Sunday's win over Batley - taking his overall tally to 100, having played 86 times prior to his switch to Salford at the end of 2016.

One more try will also put him joint-top of the Knights' scoring charts since the club re-formed in 2002, drawing level with former hooker Jack Lee on 56.

But while he has spoken of his pride in reaching three figures - adding that his debut eight years "doesn't seem that long ago" - he also concedes he has not yet hit top form this term, as he continues to find his feet having been sidelined for all of 2018 due a neck and nerve injury which curtailed his promising time with the Super League club.

"I wasn't overly aware it was my 100th appearance," admitted Brining, whose debut in 2011 made him the then youngest-ever player for the Knights, aged 17 years 148 days.

"I had an idea it might be soon though as I'd left on 80-something games.

"I'm really proud to get to 100 appearances for York.

"My first appearance doesn't seem that long ago. It was April 2011 at Widnes. We were on the wrong end of a hiding and I got the last half-hour. I think the average ago of the team when I came on was about 21. It was good to make my debut, it was a proud moment, despite the result.

"I think I became the youngest-ever (Knights) player, following on from Tom Lineham (in 2009) and Ed Smith (in 2010). Then it was beaten by Tim Stubbs and Liam Ellis (both 2012) I think."

Asked if he was pleased with how he was going back in a York shirt this term, he said bluntly: "Not really.

"I feel I see little glimpses. I do have to remind myself I didn't play for 18 months and it's going to be a slower process. It's also a much tougher league than the last time I was here. I'm still finding my feet.

"I know there's improvement in me and hopefully we will see that sooner rather than later."

The Knights had been in League One when he left for Super League, and Brining is under no illusions the Championship is a tougher environment.

But he had not looked out of place in his one season playing in the top flight and said: "It's just a bit frustrating not being able to do what you know you can do.

"I think I used to be more consistent in some areas. I think it will come with playing more. I should be starting to kick on."

One ability Knights fans would love Brining to rediscover is his devastating knack to get over the whitewash, having scored only once this season.

That was a solo cracker away to Toulouse, and a reminder of what he did with astonishing regularity in his previous two seasons with York, when he notched 45 in 45 appearances. He also scored five in 24 outings at the highest domestic level in 2017 before injury struck.

But he reasoned of his lower scoring ratio this term: "It's a mixture of people (opponents) knowing you, being in a tougher league and maybe a confidence thing and remembering how to!

"If I can (score), I can. The team is the most important thing, though, and I genuinely don't care who scores as long as we are winning and putting in good performances."

York have surprised a few pundits so far this year since winning promotion last term - currently sitting joint-third on points after eight wins out of 12. The Knights' previous best at this level was six in an entire season.

Brining reasoned: "If you had said at the start of the year we'd have this many points at the end of the season, I think a lot of people would have been happy. But we believe in ourselves and we're not surprised with where we are.

"We know it's a tough challenge. There are genuinely no easy games.

"There's a special group of lads here and we will hopefully kick on."

Asked if they had set any new targets for the season given where they now sit in the standings, Brining said: "We're just going to keep taking each game as it comes.

"We speak about things as a group but we keep that to ourselves. It's a case of taking one game at a time and seeing where we're at come the end of the season."