Familiar face at York is in line for Cup appearance
YORK CITY Knights have bolstered their hopes of causing a Ladbrokes Challenge Cup upset against Catalans Dragons by signing Jake Butler-Fleming for the third time in ten months.
The much-travelled Australian centre has now had four different clubs in that short time.
Currently he has re-joined York from Toronto Wolfpack on loan until the end of the season with no recall option.
But Butler-Fleming has recently featured with League 1 rivals Bradford Bulls having originally moved to the UK with Hull KR last year.
He scored five tries in nine games for the Robins before joining League 1 York ahead of the Super 8s split.
He then moved to Knights on a permanent basis in December only for ambitious Championship side Toronto to buy the 26-year-old for an undisclosed fee in February before the new campaign had even kicked off.
York, joint-top of League 1 having won five of their opening six games, host Super League Catalans in the Challenge Cup fifth round at Bootham Crescent on Sunday.
With the French club slumped at the bottom of the table and embarrassed 41-0 at Castleford on Sunday, James Ford’s side may fancy their chances of springing a surprise.
Butler-Fleming comes straight into contention and head coach Ford said: “Jake’s a good player, a centre potentially of Super League calibre. I really enjoyed the time I had coaching him last year and earlier this year. When he left, he left on good terms.”
He added: “It is a huge testament to the training and culture we provide at the Knights that Jake was so keen to return to us.”
Huddersfield stand-off Lee Gaskell and Salford prop Lee Mossop will face no further action over grade A offences arising from their game at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Hull forwards Danny Washbrook and Masi Matongo received cautions for dangerous tackles in their win at Widnes.
St Helens centre Mark Percival, sin-binned for disputing a touchjudge’s decision during defeat at Wakefield, has been handed a one-match penalty notice for a grade A offence.