All Rhodes lead to NL1 as Knights get a double boost

8:50am Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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YORK City Knights have received a major double boost with the news there will be three promotion places up for grabs – and that captain Scott Rhodes has been given the all-clear to play again.

The Rugby Football League confirmed last night the National League would have two tiers of ten teams next year, after NL1 duo Salford and Celtic Crusaders were given franchises to join an expanded Super League.

The knock-on effect – as predicted in The Press on Monday – is an additional promotion place up for grabs in NL2, with one team relegated from NL1. The top two will go up automatically, with teams finishing from third to eighth going into play-offs for a third promotion spot.

Knights player-boss Paul March welcomed the decision, which was revealed at the same time as Rhodes was seeing a specialist about the shoulder problem that has kept him out for four months.

March said: “The top two is out of our reach, but if we can keep playing as we have been these last couple of weeks and stay in the play-off positions, it’s knockout football after that.

“I believe we’ve got the experience and the young lads to do a job – especially with the likes of Scott Rhodes coming back.”

The Knights currently lie fifth with five games to go, six points behind Keighley.

They are more likely to finish sixth as Doncaster, who are only one point behind, have four games in hand. Rochdale, in seventh, are a further seven points back.

A fifth or sixth-placed finish would guarantee the Knights a home game in the first play-off match, though they would still need to win three knockout matches to reach the grand final.

March added: “You can see how strong NL2 has been this year and, for the National League to continue improving, I think three clubs had to go up. It would have been wrong to stick with two up and have no relegation.

“Hopefully, we can pick one of those promotion spots up.”

March reckoned the increasing competition for places could only help their chances.

Rhodes had been expected to miss all of the season but, as revealed by The Press ten days ago, his injured shoulder improved over time, leaving him hopeful that a second opinion would give him the go-ahead to return to action without needing surgery. He got this from a specialist in Manchester.

March said: “We’re at the business end of the season now and players like Scott can make a big impact. We’ve got the likes of Ryan Esders, Rob Spicer and Mark Applegarth to come back in soon as well. It’s definitely good for the club.”

Adam Mitchell has been partnering scrum-half March at half-back in the last two games after signing from Keighley, and has notched 42 points in two big wins.

Rhodes will be allowed to have several training sessions and a run-out with the reserves – probably next week – before coming into contention.

“We couldn’t get a half-back not too long ago, and now we’ll have four fighting for places, with Danny Grice also returning soon (from a BARLA tour to Australia),” said March. “Adam’s been playing well, and this will keep all of us on our toes.”

Rhodes himself was “ecstatic” to be on the way back. “I’m just looking forward to getting back into training again – and showing Paul March a trick or two,” he joked. “I’m a couple of weeks off match fitness, but it will come.

“The competition for places is good. If someone isn’t playing well or loses a bit of form, you can change things. Adam has been playing well – he’s come in and done a good job. It’s up to me to knuckle down and get myself back in there.”