CAPTAIN Chris Levy returns to duty tomorrow as York City Knights boss Mick Cook again alters his half-back combination.

Levy will form a pairing at six and seven alongside Paul Thorman as Cook turns to a mixture of Aussie guile and Geordie skill for the LHF National League Two visit of Sheffield Eagles.

It will be Levy's first game since the Northern Rail Cup loss at Hunslet and Thorman's first since the league opener against Swinton, both games over Easter, while it is only the third time the duo have played together since joining the club in the off-season.

Cook, though, was confident they would shine. "The blokes that are in there can do a good job," he said. "We've got plenty of options and they've all got ability."

Levy will replace Scott Rhodes, who rests his aching shoulder and minor groin trouble, while Thorman's inclusion sees Lee Paterson switch to loose-forward.

Explained Cook: "Scott has played every game since coming back from his shoulder operation, averaging 24 tackles a game. He's carrying a couple of little injuries and I would sooner look at the bigger picture than play him.

"We're just giving him a break from contact. He went down in the game last week and he's been getting a bit of stick from it.

"They (Levy and Thorman) are perhaps not as quick as Scott, who's probably the quickest at the club off the mark, but they've got ability and they'll do a good job. Everybody knows there is competition for places and they all have to perform to stay in the team."

Elsewhere, Ian Kirke moves forward to the second row, with Darren Callaghan - York's only ever-present this season - dropping to the bench, being joined there by fit-again Simon Friend. Mark Cain (shoulder) joins Rhodes on the treatment table, while Tom Buckenham also makes way. Neil Thorman has been unavailable recently after contracting shingles.

Cook and assistant-coaches Paul Broadbent and Daryl Powell are past heroes at Sheffield, having spent much of their careers there, while players Lee Jackson, Neil Law and Callaghan - as well as Rhodes - are also ex-Eagles.

Cook said: "You always want to do well against your old club. But the real incentive for the players is to play well for York. I'm not looking for anyone to do anything extraordinary, just to do their job well.

"I've a lot of respect for Sheffield - I played ten years there with (Eagles coach) Mark Aston - but there are no loyalties this week. We want the two points."

Eagles, table-toppers in 2003, will be without star half-back Gavin Brown (broken hand) and prop Chris Molyneux (suspended), but second-row Andy Rice (groin) should return.

Aston said: "Don't rule us out. If we hit our form, be clinical with our chances and keep up the pressure we can take York."

Sunday's squads:

LHF National League Two

York City Knights v Sheffield Eagles

at Huntington Stadium

Knights probable: Liddell, Fox, Potter, Law, Fairfield, P Thorman, Levy, Sullivan, Jackson, Smith, Kirke, Ward, Paterson. Subs: Elston, Callaghan, Friend, Sozi.

Eagles (possible): Stott, Mills, A Dickinson, Veamatahua, de Chenu, Crawford, Pearson, Howieson, Stanley, Lynch, Brown, Rice, Turnbull. Subs from: Hurst, Brentley, S Dickinson, Lynch, R Dickinson, Tillyer.

Referee: Jamie Leahy (Dewsbury)

Kick off: 3pm

Updated: 10:56 Saturday, April 16, 2005