BIG-NAME signing Ryan Esders has been released by York City Knights after a controversial year and has been linked with a move to Championship rivals Dewsbury.

The 24-year-old is one of eight players on the released list the Knights circulated to the Rugby Football League and other clubs yesterday. He is effectively being replaced at Huntington Stadium by new arrival Tommy Haughey.

Hull-born Esders had been an exciting recruit for the Knights when they sealed a permanent switch this time last year following a loan stint from Harlequins at the back end of the 2010 season in which he helped the Knights to promotion via the play-offs.

He had first made his name in the professional game with York in 2007 and 2008, catching the eye of Super League scouts and making the switch to Hull KR and then Quins.

However, he has not always hit similar heights this year and was involved in a number of controversies.

He was disciplined in pre-season for yellow cards in a friendly; being hit with a four-match RFL suspension, plus one-match internal ban, in March; and punching team-mate James Haynes in training in mid-summer. It is thought Esders was one of the bigger earners at York this year, in which he made 19 appearances, scoring nine tries.

The others on the released list – those not offered new contracts – are Ben Jones, who has gone to Dewsbury, Steve Lewis, who has joined Hunslet, Dan Wilson, Mike Mitchell, Paul Stamp and Matt Barron – all to Gateshead – and Chris Williams.