RECORD-BREAKING goalkicker Jamie Benn is on his way back to York Wasps.
The 23-year-old full-back is returning to Huntington Stadium on a one-year contract following his release from Castleford Tigers, as revealed on the Evening Press website www.thisisyork.co.uk yesterday
Wasps coach Lee Crooks is also making moves to bring talented hooker Gareth Dobson back to York from Castleford.
He was planning to speak to Tigers coach Stuart Raper about Dobson's availability after their match with Leeds last night.
Benn's arrival is another boost to Crooks whose pre-season preparations are gathering pace by the day.
The Wasps boss coached Benn at Keighley but believes he is now a much better player.
"In this division he's going to be an outstanding prospect, not just his attacking play but also his goalkicking which is worth ten points a match," enthused Crooks.
"It didn't work out for him particularly well at Keighley because of the travelling but he played some good football and he's got better over the last 12 months.
"He will be a tremendous asset and I hope it shows that we will get a team that's going to compete without breaking the bank."
Benn, who has spent most of the current Super League season in Castleford's Alliance team, is believed to have turned down a couple of other clubs to come to York where he enjoyed tremendous success in the 1999 season.
He broke the club record for most goals (13) and most points (30) in a match in the final game of the season against Oldham.
He also earned a call-up to Shaun McRae's Scotland squad for last year's Lincoln Triangular Tournament, although injury wrecked his chances of playing. He is hopeful of another chance in this year's World Cup.
York have also signed a 22-year-old trialist from the Army, centre Richie Baxter, until the end of December.
Baxter, from Hull, is based at the York barracks and approached the Wasps about a trial.
Wasps winger Leigh Deakin is back in training after missing the whole of last season with a knee ligament injury.
York have effectively signed him on a trial basis while they monitor his progress to full fitness.
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