JAMIE SHAUL and Jack Lee are the big time players Gary Thornton hopes will revitalise York City Knights.

The duo have been pencilled in to face Leigh Centurions at Huntington Stadium tomorrow (3pm) as the head coach looks for his men to atone for last weekend’s disappointing defeat at Hunslet Hawks.

Hull high-flier Shaul is set to make his Kingstone Press Championship debut, having not played for York since the opening day of the season at Whitehaven, while Lee came through training this week after recovering from a knee injury.

Thornton said: “Jamie is a very exciting player and every time he has played for Hull he has got the man of the match.

“Tom Carr wasn’t himself last week. He picked up a dead leg very early on and he has played every minute for us and in pre-season. We are going to rest him and it’s a well-earned break. He has been fantastic for us and, hopefully, he can come back fresh.

“This is where dual-reg really works for us. Jamie is a quality player for Hull and I can use the opportunity to give Tom a rest.”

He added: “Jack Lee has trained and there were no ill-effects. We had a full contact session but he didn’t do all of it and, with an extra couple of days, he should be fine. I think we have missed Jack.”

Skipper James Ford is definitely out, along with Sam Scott who is still suffering the effects of whiplash, and Thornton is keen to follow on from the home performances against the likes of Featherstone by shocking another one of the big five.

“I was hoping we could consolidate our sixth place, beat Hunslet, and be hanging on to the coat-tails (of the top five),” he said.

“Now we have been drawn back into the mix at the bottom of the table. If results go against us we could find ourselves in the bottom two quite easily.

“This is a game for us to get back on the horse, so to speak, to start chasing down that top five spot and that’s what I have set my stall out for.

“I am not one for setting targets but we want to show people what we are all about. If we can beat Featherstone at home and run Halifax close then we can turn Leigh over.

“The previous week they conceded 60 points at Halifax and then went and nilled Batley. The reaction was asked for and they provided it. I will be doing the same and looking for a reaction after Hunslet.”

Thornton continued: “We have analysed last week and we have put it to bed. We will be learning from our mistakes and what we need to do to put those mistakes right.

“If we can stick to what we do well then we can come up with a result. I am hoping we can come up with one this week.”

Knights: Shaul, Morrison, Latus, Briscoe, Browne, Nicklas, Brown, Potter, Lee, Austin-Bell, Smith, Kent, Pickles.

Substitutes (provisional): Presley, Brining, Sullivan, Stenchion, Lyons.