A FULL-STRENGTH York City Knights squad will take on Castleford on Sunday in the clubs’ first run-out of pre-season.

The Knights go to Wheldon Road – formerly known as The Jungle and now called the Probiz Coliseum – on Sunday (2pm) and boss Dave Woods has named a strong line-up following the news the Super League hosts will field a first-team starting XIII.

Both clubs saw festive friendlies called off due to the weather, with this match hastily arranged in midweek to give both sides a much needed game.

It is a much tougher task for the Knights than the postponed charity match against the York Select XIII, and Woods has altered his line-up accordingly.

The 12 players who remain from the 17-man squad that won last season’s Championship One Grand Final are in a provisional 21-man party, although one or two of the 21 might be omitted on the day.

Fans are also set to see threequarters Duane Straugheir, Tom Bush and Dave Sutton, half-back Jon Presley, forwards Matt Barron and Ben Jones and utility man Mark Barlow don a Knights shirt for the first time.

Winger Dennis Tuffour is left out as he has missed some training due to work and flying out to his native Ghana, and Woods indicated the team had been picked on performances in practice.

New recruits Rhys Clarke (hand) and former Cas youngster Sam Lynch (hamstring) are unlikely to risk injuries.

Woods said: “There are a few blokes we’ve been happy with in training who will get an opportunity.”

The Aussie has promised many of the youngsters who would have played against the York Select will get a run-out in next week’s home friendly against a Castleford academy side.

Knights (probable): Haynes, Wilson, Straugheir, Bush, Sutton, Thorman, Presley, Freer, Lee, Benson, Lewis, Barron, Esders. Subs from Stearman, M Mitchell, Stamp, Barlow, Burns, S Woods, Jones, Waterman.