TOMORROW'S York City Knights' Northern Rail Cup opener against Castleford Tigers provides new coach Mick Cook with the hardest of baptisms.

He said: "They're probably the team nobody wanted. They were in Super League last year and are full-time. But we're happy to go there. We can compete with sides above us, we've just got to make sure we get our game right.

"They're tough up front and will be a challenge for us down the middle and on the edges but we're confident we can go there and do well."

Nine players will make their competitive debuts for the Knights, including full-back Matt Blaymire, who previously played for the club in 2003. He will see a specialist next week about a shoulder problem but is fit to play.

Cook has also chosen to start with the experienced Lee Jackson at hooker, with Jim Elston set to start on the bench. Ian Kirke will make his first start for the club in the second row, with new loan signing prop Tom Buckingham on the bench.

Prop Craig Forsyth, play-maker Neil Thorman, second-row Mick Ramsden and long-term absentees Scott Rhodes and Chris Spurr are all out injured, and prop David Bates banned.

New Castleford boss David Woods - who knows Knights scrum-half Chris Levy from Australia - will hand ten players their debuts, including ex-Barrow hooker Andy Henderson and former Knights centre Damien Reid, who was fined but escaped a ban following his sending-off in pre-season.

Only two players who started the Tigers' opening Super League IX game last year - winger Waine Pryce and Jon Hepworth - will play tomorrow.

Former York Wasps half-back Brad Davis, forward Lance Hamilton and new signing Jordan James are ruled out.

Updated: 10:40 Saturday, February 12, 2005