SUPER League star Jason Demetriou reckons his new York City Knights team-mates will pull off a few surprises in the Championship next season.

The 34-year-old, who put pen to paper at Huntington Stadium after nearly a decade in rugby league’s top-flight, says he has “different ideas” about the view that head coach Dave Woods’ men will struggle following their Grand Final promotion in September.

Turning down moves to Hunslet and Widnes, his former club, Demetriou has signed a one-year contract with the Knights in a deal which has thrilled the club’s supporters.

Brought in to play in the back row, he will also offer a coaching input as a senior player and confirmed he saw his future in that sphere of the game.

But it was the Knights’ set-up, and their professional approach, which has convinced the Australian, who was named in the Super League Dream Team of 2007 and has been nominated for the prestigious Man of Steel Award, to embark on the next stage of his career at York.

“They are moving forwards and, in the coaching set up, Dave Woods seems to have everything going really professionally,” Demetriou said. “Chris Thorman is making his way as a coach. Coming from Super League is a change, and I didn’t want to go into a club that did not seem professionally run.

“In Super League, that’s what you are looking for. I am quite professional myself and I would get quite frustrated (if it wasn’t like that). You wouldn’t be happy unless it was done properly and the Knights have definitely got that. Everyone is predicting that we will be going straight back down. I have got different ideas about that. We will be competitive and a lot of people will be surprised by the way we go.”

Demetriou added it was too early to speculate on whether his stay at the Knights would be extended after this year. “I can’t say at the moment,” he said. “If a coaching job came along I would pursue that. If I am enjoying my football and playing well I might like to play another year.”