YORK Knights head coach Andrew Henderson believes his side have an “interesting balance” at nine this season.

The former Scotland international, a hooker himself during his playing career, seemed to have struck gold with his use of both Will Jubb and Josh Daley in the position as they cruised to a 40-18 victory against Halifax Panthers on Sunday.

Jubb, an ever-dependable in the position, passed 150 appearances for the Knights last summer, whilst Daley is in his second season with the club after his switch from NSW Cup side Mount Pritchard Mounties.

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York had already added 10 points to the scoreboard - courtesy of tries from AJ Towse and Ukuma Ta’ai - before Daley was introduced from the bench midway through the first half, but the Australian made an instant impact, crossing the whitewash less than a minute later after profiting from Ata Hingano’s break to twist his way across to the right of the posts.

And the interchange was across again after the break with a trademark scoot out of dummy half.

York Press: Taylor Pemberton has also featured at hooker, but started Sunday's win against Halifax in the halves.Taylor Pemberton has also featured at hooker, but started Sunday's win against Halifax in the halves. (Image: Alan Milner/Milner Creative/York RLFC)

The pair have been utilised alongside former St Helens youngster Taylor Pemberton in the position this season, but Daley has been preferred as of late, with Jubb kept out of the squad entirely during their AB Sundecks 1895 Cup semi-final defeat to Sheffield Eagles nine days ago.

“Obviously at the start of the cup games, there was a strategic plan to try and build Josh Daley back off his injury, so Jubby played the first three games,” Henderson explained.

“Then Josh started to get a little bit more game time to build up ready for the season.

“But as the season’s gone on, Jubby’s missed out a couple of times because we’ve felt that Josh has just edged into the team performance-wise and we’ve tried to carry a bit more of a traditional number 14 on the bench.”

The head coach also opened up on the dynamic between both Jubb and Daley and how their roles differ - with the former playing a vital role in steadying the ship.

“I think, for me, I’ve worked out that Will Jubb is not a player that you’d bring off the bench. He’s a starting player,” Henderson continued.

“He’s that guy that steadies the ship, that makes his tackles, gives a good service, and I thought today that he did that.

“Defensively he was solid, he gave some great service to our pivots and to our forwards, and he had some really good detail as well around the ruck. I thought his ruck awareness was a lot better today, he picked his short-sides well, he knew when to grab markers.

“Josh then came on at a time when we had a little bit of ascendancy to try and keep that urgency going forward even more, and Will came back on in the second half just to stiffen us up at the back end as we wanted to close the game out.

“They are two different types of hookers, but it’s an interesting balance we have there with those two players.”