AUSSIE flier Mark Stewart is primed for his first outing of the season tomorrow as York City Knights enter round one of their crucial double-header against Featherstone.

Second-row Tom Andrews, the recent signing from Bradford, is also in line for his debut as coach Richard Agar shuffles his cards with one eye on next week's big Powergen Challenge Cup tie between the sides.

Twenty-three-year-old Stewart, who has been waiting patiently for his chance, comes onto the wing in place of knee injury victim Chris Smith.

He told the Evening Press: "I haven't played this year but I've been training hard and sticking in there hoping my time would come.

"Chris being injured has got me a chance and I've got to try to impress. I want to do the simple things right, get my defence in order and if I do that the rest of the game will come easier. I'm not going to try the big plays but do the simple things right and that should stand me in good stead."

Tomorrow's tie is an Arriva Trains Cup qualifying group table-topper at Huntington Stadium (ko 3pm), and is a dress rehearsal to next week's clash at Post Offfice Road, which sees a Challenge Cup quarter-final place at stake.

He added: "They're a First Division club and we will have to up our game if we want to beat them. But hopefully we can beat them this week and give them something to think about next week."

Agar is set to shuffle his pack, with Andrews and Ryan Benjefield, who are cup-tied next week, and John Smith, who has a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday, likely to come in.

"If anything happens to either of Dan Briggs, Yusuf Sozi or Craig Forsyth this week, we will go into next week's game with only two props, against a side dominated by the forwards," explained Agar, who also has a doubt over loose-forward Damian Reid.

"I'm not prioritising either game. I'm just mindful of the fact we could find ourselves in a bad situation next week should we pick up one or two injuries."

Agar will have insider knowledge on Rovers having spent last season as player-assistant coach there, while his assistant, full-back Nathan Graham, and centre Chris Langley also made the switch from Featherstone in the closed season. But there has been a fair turnover of players and staff.

"I was at Fev last year but that seems like an age ago and I'm well and truly a Knight," said Agar.

"They will fancy their chances, they're higher-ranked than us, but we want to do well and this week we're at home and playing for our places so I expect a good display - I think we owe it after last week.

"They've got some fine players and I would rate their front row as good as any. They've made a couple of great signings and they're a very up-for-it team. It's a bit of an acid test for our pack especially."

Featherstone, who came out of administration this week, are also boosted by the return of Richard Chapman and Steve Dooler. Chapman was rested for last week's big Cup win over London Skolars, while Dooler had a knee problem.

"Everything went to plan and we got lots of positives from the Cup win," enthused coach Gary Price.

Updated: 09:58 Saturday, March 06, 2004