YORK City Knights are facing a player shortage for their friendly against Doncaster on Sunday after a flu bug and another injury hit Huntington Stadium.

Mark Cain has a chest infection and Jon Liddell, Mick Ramsden and Scott Rhodes have all come down with flu, while Aussie scrum-half Chris Levy tore a calf in training.

Rhodes was already ruled out as he recovers from his knee operation, with Ian Kirke and Chris Spurr also on the long-term injury list.

Levy's injury is not thought to be serious - it is believed to be a small tear - but the Knights are unlikely to risk playing him in Sunday's game at Huntington Stadium.

Coach Mick Cook was not too perturbed by the situation, saying the silver lining is the fact it would help other players get more game-time.

He said: "We're up against it at the moment. There are a few struggling for Sunday's game though we will assess it at training tonight and see what we've got. Hopefully nobody else will have come down with anything.

"I won't be too worried, though. A few blokes need to get hit-outs and if we run with just 17 we'll be all right. It's not a massive drama. It gives other people good game-time which is what they want."

As for Levy, he added: "He might not play as a precaution. He's a key player for us and if there's any doubt that he will make the injury worse then he won't play."

Updated: 11:17 Thursday, January 13, 2005