Ryan Esders left James Haynes with a suspected broken jaw after a bust-up in training – but boss Dave Woods has drawn positives saying it shows the players care about York City Knights’ drop zone predicament.

Haynes, recently used off the bench, is almost certainly ruled out of tomorrow’s night Co-operative Championship home encounter with high-riding Featherstone Rovers, from which the Knights need points for their fight against relegation.

X-rays have shown there is no broken bone but the 22-year-old was left needing dental work due to an infection. It is hoped he will be available for the trip to Leigh, another title-contending team, nine days later.

The incident, it has emerged, happened on Sunday during a full game simulation involving first-team players and reserves – the same calamitous training session that saw The Press Player of the Month for May Duane Straugheir limp off with a broken bone in a foot, which has ruled him out for the season.

It is understood Esders reacted badly to a full-blooded tackle from his fellow Hull-based player.

Woods, though, reckoned “these things happen” and said the pair quickly made up.

He also suggested it showed a passion the players will need for the all-important run-in.

“It’s good that everyone is fighting hard – for want of a better phrase – to do the right thing,” he said.

“Everyone’s training is intense, everyone is committed to the cause, and that’s what you want.

“James Haynes belted him in a tackle and he didn’t like it.

“A couple of punches were thrown, but then they drove home together and they travelled to training (on Tuesday night) together. Ryan felt bad about it.”

Esders, the former Hull KR and Harlequins back-rower who returned to the Knights – where he made his name in 2007 – towards the end of last season, is not new to controversy.

He was sin-binned in his first game back at the club last year and has been yellow-carded twice this term, against Keighley and Hunslet.

Esders was later slapped with a four-match ban by Rugby Football League chiefs in March for punching (one match) and for a dangerous contact (three matches) in the Keighley game, plus a one-match internal suspension after arguing with Woods while in the sin-bin. After this he told The Press he would not “be doing anything like that again”.

“It’s not really professional and I have to learn from it. It’s about controlling aggression,” he said.

Esders, one of York’s highest paid players, was also dropped to the reserves in pre-season after two yellow cards in a friendly against Gateshead.

But Woods said of the latest misdemeanour: “It happens at most clubs when you do contact work – there’s usually some disagreements.

“It’s good that the players care that much. We told them at the start they were playing for positions for Friday and everyone’s got to get stuck in.”

As reported by The Press, Sunday’s session, which took place at York College due to Huntington Stadium being needed for athletics, also ended with Straugheir one of the standout players in ecent months, ruled out for the rest of this season.

Said Woods of the former Featherstone centre: “He’s been tremendous for us this year.

“He’s a great fella. He’s really improved out of sight since we moved him into the back row.

“He actually apologised for getting injured, but it’s not his fault. It’s a huge blow, but someone else will come in.”