INJURY concerns have hit York City Knights just a few weeks into their pre-season preparations.

Prop star Nathan Freer has suffered a hand injury which will prevent him from taking part in full training perhaps until the New Year - putting him potentially off the pace come the opening friendlies of 2014 in January.

Annoyingly for head coach Gary Thornton, the 24-year-old picked up the injury while playing rugby union for his Bishop Burton College team.

Freer had interrupted his rugby league career this time last year to play union for Bishop Burton as part of his teacher training scholarship there, but his professional obligations now are to the Knights, even though the club were happy for him to play the 15-a-side game during the rugby league off-season.

Said Thornton: “It means he won’t be able to do full contact training until after Christmas. It’s a knock-back but hopefully it won’t impact too much.

“He’ll still be able to do some training and get himself fit.”

Thornton also has minor concerns over Jack Lee and Jonny Presley, with the former complaining of a sore hamstring and the latter having a knee problem. Thornton says both are “nothing serious”.

In a boost, star second-row Jason Golden is back in full training after his major shoulder operation which kept him out for all but the first few games of last season.

Thornton said: “He’s had no ill-effects so far and his recovery is going to plan.

“He’s chomping at the bit to play in our first friendly in January if he can, though we’ll have to see how things are.”

The Knights so far have two friendlies booked in – away to their new partner Super League club Castleford on Sunday, January 19, kick off 1pm, in which the Paul Higgins Memorial Trophy will be up for grabs, and at home to Championship One rivals Gateshead on Sunday, January 26, kick off 3pm.

Meanwhile, former Knights full-back Matt Blaymire, who left York for Super League seven years ago, has been appointed an assistant-coach to John Kear at Kingstone Press Championship side Batley Bulldogs.

Blaymire, who was coached by Kear at Wakefield, was forced to hang up his boots in late 2011 due to a knee injury but he has been keen to get back in the game and effectively takes the place of Mark Moxon, who has left Mount Pleasant due to work commitments.

Forward Eloni Vunakece, who stood out for Toulouse against York in the Challenge Cup last year and has recently helped Fiji into the World Cup semi-finals, has been heavily linked with a move the Knights’ former partner Super League club Hull FC.