DEAN O'Loughlin is hoping front-row genius in the York City Knights coaching staff will rub off on him in his time at Huntington Stadium.

The 23-year-old was signed on a one-year deal from LHF National League One rivals Doncaster this week on the recommendation of former Hull club-mate Paul 'Beans' Broadbent.

And O'Loughlin now hopes to repay that faith by using the former Great Britain prop's know-how to develop his own game further and thus bolster the NL2 champions in their first foray in NL1.

"It's a good opportunity for me," O'Loughlin told the Evening Press.

"I know there's the link with Leeds Rhinos and I want to play in Super League eventually. It seems a good set-up at York where they might help me do that.

"Mick Cook is a good coach and I'm friends with Paul Broadbent from when we were at Hull together. He let me know it's a good set-up and if I wanted to further my career it was a good place to go to."

O'Loughlin was just coming through Hull's Academy at the time Broadbent, now an assistant to Cook, was nearing the end of his illustrious playing career and helping with coaching the Black and Whites' junior set-up. The Hull-based newcomer is now hoping to have Broadbent as a mentor once again.

"He will do a lot of one-on-one work with me at York and hopefully it will help me be the kind of player he was," he said.

Broadbent described O'Loughlin as an uncompromising forward and the Knights hope he will bring size and go-forward up front. The player himself says one thing he will definitely offer is 100 per cent effort.

"I will be committed to the club and do my best," he said. "I want to get through the full season playing well and staying injury-free and hopefully help the team finish in the top six if we can."

He added: "I saw York beat Doncaster last pre-season. They seemed a really good set-up then and I've heard good things about them. I think we will surprise a lot of people this year.

"Personally I want to get as far as a can with York, help the club do well and further my own career as much as possible."

Meanwhile, the next step in the Knights' plans to form an Academy side for next season will soon be taken with the appointment of an Under-21s coach. The club have advertised for the post and the closing date for applications was today. The Press believes the response has been encouraging and an appointment is expected to be made in the next fortnight.

Updated: 10:40 Friday, October 21, 2005