YORK City Knights boss James Ford hailed the recruitment of Kriss Brining as a boon "for the whole club not just the team".

As revealed on thepress.co.uk/sport on Saturday afternoon, former Press Player of the Season Brining has rejoined the Knights on a one-year deal following his release by Salford Red Devils. He was in the stands that evening to see his new team-mates beat Dewsbury Rams 34-0 in their final warm-up game of pre-season.

The 25-year-old Scarborough-born hooker, who had come through the ranks as a teenager at York, joined Salford at the end of 2016. However, after an excellent maiden campaign in Super League, he missed all of 2018 due to a potentially career-threatening neck injury, prompting his release by the Greater Manchester outfit.

He nevertheless returned to full training before his departure and passed medicals before agreeing terms back with the club where he launched his career.

And Ford - who had played a part in Brining's initial rise through the club - was delighted to have him "back home".

"Kriss is defensively very aggressive and I like that in a rugby player," he said.

"He's also a fantastic athlete and he can score from anywhere on the field. He's incredibly strong and hopefully we will see that when he finally gets a York shirt back on.

"Most importantly he's a great bloke, a great human being. He's been really well brought up, and he's polite and respectful.

"He will be a big asset for the whole club not just the team."

Brining watched from the stands as the Knights scored seven tries without reply against Championship rivals Dewsbury.

Ford took positives from the result - a second victory in four warm-up fixtures - but was well aware the Rams fielded an understrength 17.

"I thought periods of it were promising," said Ford of his team's display. "At times we looked cohesive and we scored some really good tries, exciting tries. It was also pleasing to get zero defensively.

"But Dewsbury have plenty of players to come back in and they will be much better the next time we play them.

"We don't want to get too carried away. It's only a trial warm-up game, but there were promising signs.

"Most individuals were really good with one or two areas to improve on.

"Our contact was good throughout all over the field and when we made a mistake we worked hard to make sure Dewsbury did not get anything from it.

"But Dewsbury will be a different proposition when we face them in the league."

He added: "I can see my team forging some good partnerships and when we got our execution right we scored some promising tries.

"Defensively we had some good contacts and showed some resilience.

"We're moving in the right direction."

League One champions York kick off their Championship campaign at home to title favourites Toronto Wolfpack on February 3 - potentially with Brining going straight into the line-up.

The former scholarship starlet became the Knights' then youngest-ever player when making his debut against Widnes in April 2011 aged 17 years 148 days, and he became a regular towards the end of 2012 while still only 18.

He scored 45 tries in 45 appearances during his last two seasons with the club in 2015 and 2016 - taking his total to 54 in 86 - before joining Salford.

Brining scored five tries in 24 appearances for the Red Devils in 2017, being nominated for the League Express's Albert Goldthorpe Rookie of the Year accolade such was his impact in Super League, before injury - an disc-related issue in his neck - struck.