NATHAN FREER will not be banned for York City Knights’ clash with arch-foes Hunslet after all – and another big boost for the front row is afoot too.

Freer has been suspended for one match for his part in the brawl during the loss at Widnes last time out, and it was initially thought he would have to sit out Good Friday’s Championship contest against the Hawks.

However, the Knights reserves go to Oldham today and this game can count for the ban given that there is no first-team match this weekend and that 21-year-old Freer comes into the under-23s reserve-grade age range.

Additionally, Knights boss Dave Woods expects big Brett Waller to be back in match action on Friday – despite keeping him out of today’s reserves line-up.

Waller, who has not played since suffering his bad knee injury last July, was expected to get a run-out at Oldham as he makes his way back into first-team reckoning, but is not in Mick Ramsden’s 18-man squad.

That squad, meanwhile, does include former York Acorn ARLC junior Jordan Hyde, who has rejoined the Huntington Stadium ranks after a spell with Leeds Rhinos’ academy.

Woods believes Waller’s comeback will be aided more by a strenuous training session with the first team tomorrow, with a view to playing against Paul March’s Hawks five days later, after which the first team also have to contend with an immediate trip to south France for Bank Holiday Monday’s match in Toulouse.

Said the Aussie: “Brett can do another real physical session in training (tomorrow) and again on Tuesday, rather than go into (today’s) game.

“Fitness-wise it will be better for him with the way we’re doing it.

“It will benefit him more than being out on the field in reserve grade. We’ll be simulating games in training and in this he’ll be getting no rest – he’ll have to keep going.

“We’re not going to be stupid with him. It will take him a few games to get his match fitness back anyway.”

Hyde, meanwhile, is back with his home-town club after being released by Leeds.

The 19-year-old centre-cum-second-row was with the Knights’ scholarship from U13s to U16s and also played for the York College development squad before signing for the Rhinos academy a year ago. He is too old for their U18s now, though, and is down the pecking order in their U20s squad so will get more opportunities to play at York.

Also in today’s 18-man squad for the Whitebank encounter (2.30pm) are Tom Bush, Danny Wilson and Dennis Tuffour, all vying for a recall to the first-team’s back line, as well as first-team wannabe hooker Paul Stamp and prop Jack Stearman.

Knights reserves: from Bush, Tuffour, M Woods, Carmody, Dent, Wilson, Stamp, S Woods, Brining, Holmes, Mitchell, Stearman, Mortimer, Howard, Smith, Hemmings, Rice, Hyde.