YORK City Knights remain hopeful that Castleford starlet John Davies can resume his spell on loan at Huntington Stadium before too long.
The 20-year-old second-row came to Huntington Stadium on the eve of the season on a year-long loan and quickly earned rave reviews, but that agreement was cut short before Easter as Cas recalled him with a view to using him in their first team.
The same happened to prop Nathan Massey, who had been on dual-registration, and three-quarter Jordan Thompson, who joined his Tigers club-mates on loan at York at the end of February. But while those two have been playing Super League rugby since returning to Wheldon Road, Davies has remained only on the fringes.
Knights boss Dave Woods believes leaving him in Cas’s reserves – again Davies did not make the Tigers’ 19-man squad for tomorrow’s first-grade match against Harlequins – is stunting the player’s development, as well as leaving York without one of their front-line players this term. To that end, he is hopeful a new loan spell can be agreed soon.
He said: “We’ve definitely not got him with us this week but there’s a chance for the week after. They’ve got a few injuries at the moment, so Nathan Massey is in their first grade squad and Jordan has been in the team too.
“John isn’t really happy about it. He wants to come over here but he’s got to do what his club want. He’s been around 18th or 19th man a couple of times so might get an opportunity.”
Such was Davies’ form that he still tops The Press Player of the Year leaderboard.
“We’d like him back. He was really good for us,” said Woods. “He runs good lines and gives us that bit more toughness out wide. It’s a shame we haven’t got him but he’s not our player so we can’t control it.”
Asked whether he thought being left in Castleford’s reserves was detrimental to Davies’ development, Woods said: “I think it is.
“It’s pretty easy for him in reserve-grade. He’s way too good for that level and I’d believe he’d be in a comfort zone playing that.
“If he was here he’d be playing teams like Leigh, Featherstone and Widnes, who have plenty of experienced players, and this would help to develop his game. But we’re not his employer so it’s not up to us.”
ANOTHER young prodigy whom the Knights have lost not long after getting him is Matthew Woods – with Castleford again the club responsible.
Knights reserves boss Mick Ramsden was delighted when the York Acorn product finally arrived at Huntington Stadium earlier this year.
Woods – no relation to Knights head coach Dave Woods – qualified for the club’s new extended scholarship for under-18s and played for the second string, and Ramsden held him in high regard.
However, he has now been offered a contract by Castleford.
Ramsden said: “He’s got great potential and I was chuffed when he joined us, but Cas have come in for him and he’s taken that opportunity. Obviously I’d like him here, but we wish him well.”
THE Knights have not had much luck with another youngster with Castleford connections, Sam Lynch, albeit for totally different reasons – and he suffered more woe on his latest comeback.
The 20-year-old full-back, who since arriving from Cas in the off-season has barely played for York due to an ongoing hamstring problem, had his first run-out for months for Mick Ramsden’s reserves side against their Leigh counterparts on Thursday night, and indeed marked the appearance with two tries.
However, he went off early in the second half after feeling his hamstring once again.
It was a night full of rotten luck for the reserves, although they still made a game of it at the home of Leigh East, before losing 44-28.
Firstly, hooker Kris Brining and scrum-half Scott Woods pulled out at late notice, the former because of a toe injury picked up at home and the latter due to a bad back.
Ramsden had to draft in teenager Giles Smith for his first game of the year after recovering from a broken hand, and fellow forward Dan Barron, who, likewise, was not match-fit. He also had to reshuffle his side quite a bit.
Then the team bus got stuck in traffic on the way to Leigh East’s ground, so only made it there half an hour before kick-off, with little time for a warm-up.
Furthermore, during the game, Dan Mole joined Lynch in coming off early due to a hamstring injury.
The Knights fell 16-0 down early on but battled back to 22-14 at half-time. The wind was also in their favour in the second period and at 30-22 down, they still had a chance, only for their lack of replacements to have an effect as the Centurions increased their lead.
Paul Stamp was York’s man of the match at hooker, adding four goals to boot.
Added to Lynch’s two tries were one apiece for Mark Barlow, set up by prop Adam Howard’s break, Dom Proctor and Jordan Rice, who was outstanding in the first half.
Ramsden said: “I was worried at 16-0 but then we started to play. We were a bit hit and miss and didn’t play real well with the wind in the second half but we weren’t helped by a few things.”
BAR 13 at Huntington Stadium will be screening the Super League match between Hull and Huddersfield from 12.30pm tomorrow ahead of the Knights’ Championship game against Leigh.
Ticket holders can access Bar 13 as usual from that time. Turnstiles open at 1.30pm.
THERE will be curtain-raising action at Huntington Stadium tomorrow before the Knights’ match. School teams from Burnholme College, Knaresborough’s King James School and York High will play a three-way round-robin tournament to decide the winners of the Year 11 Marston Moor Cup. This action starts at 1.30pm.
THE Knights have a limited number of tickets on sale for the Carnegie Challenge Cup final – they are priced at £26 and the club retain £13 from every ticket sold. The final is at Wembley on Saturday, August 27. To book tickets, phone the club office on 01904 767404.
Supporters wanting transport and accommodation in London that weekend can email Gary Hall at garyhall@hotmail.com. The price for two nights at a bed and breakfast, based on two adults sharing, is £170.
For general match-day train travel times and prices, visit www.tpexpress.co.uk.
THE winners of the competition run in The Press by the Co-operative, which saw four readers win tickets to tomorrow’s game between the Knights and Leigh Centurions, were: Paul Cooper, of Dringthorpe Road; Dave Breslin, of Rawcliffe; Catherine Westwick, of Dringthorpe Road, and Garry Coughlin, of Stockton-on-the-Forest.
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