Broadbent misses out on Knights' first game

Paul Broadbent, the former Great Britain prop who will lead the newly-formed York City Knights this season, will have to wait before taking the field with them. The player-coach has had shoulder surgery which will keep him out of the club's inaugural match, against Hull KR in the Arriva Trains Cup on Sunday.

"I've been told I won't be able to play until March, but that could be a good thing because it gives me time to stand back and have a look at the squad we've put together,'' said Broadbent, who played in Super League with Wakefield last season.

The club, which rose from the ashes of the York Wasps after they folded midway through last season, will have its other experienced signings available for the visit of Rovers, including the former Hull and Great Britain hooker Lee Jackson and the ex-Rovers prop Richie Hayes, who has been appointed captain.

The Arriva Trains Cup, which is played in four groups of five teams before progressing to a quarter-final knockout, carries total prize money of £70,000, with the winners receiving £12,500.

Darren Fleary is to have a three-day trial with Huddersfield this week. Fleary elected to leave Leeds after being included belatedly in their first team squad for this season and has accepted the invitation to show the promoted Giants that he still has something to offer at Super League level.

Wakefield, who also expressed an interest in talking to Fleary, have signed Colum Halpenny, the Australian winger who played for Halifax last season.

Halifax were also interested in Parker, who was released by the Super League club at the end of last season, but they have instead agreed to give a three-month contract to a former Rovers player, Dane Dorahy.

Hull KR have further strengthened their squad by signing Paul Parker from their neighbours, Hull.

Rochdale Hornets have recruited Jon Roper, who played for Leigh in their beaten Grand Final side last year and has been with the Rugby Lions this winter, while Leigh have taken Gareth Haggerty from Widnes.