De Gois goes from being the first choice to no voice amid plans for Wayne's new world
IT IS the question that nobody at Newcastle seems able, or willing, to answer. Will Isaac de Gois be at the club next season?
Two months ago it appeared a fait accompli that the rugged hooker would soon sign a three-season contract extension. The deal was reportedly all but done.
All that was needed was the rubber stamp once Nathan Tinkler gained ownership of the club.
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But just as de Gois was practising his signature, preparing to put pen to paper, the Knights produced a remarkable coup by luring Wayne Bennett to Newcastle for the next four seasons and the whole landscape appeared to change dramatically.
First came reports that Canterbury hooker Michael Ennis had a get-out clause allowing him to link with Bennett.
Bulldogs officials had no sooner poured cold water on that prospect than it was revealed that former Knights skipper Danny Buderus, who has been playing with Leeds Rhinos for the past three seasons, was pondering a return to Newcastle next season at the age of 34.
All of which has left de Gois facing an uncertain future, to say the least.
Knights officials have skirted around the issue for weeks.
Last week his negotiations were described as ''a work in progress'' by one insider. Another suggested it was being held up by third-party sponsorship complications.
De Gois said he did not want to discuss the matter. Yesterday, however, there were reports that de Gois was not part of Bennett's plans for next season and was likely to sign with Cronulla, where he played before joining the Knights in 2009.
Acting Knights chief executive Troy Palmer described those reports yesterday as ''pure speculation'' but did not deny their accuracy.
''I'm not saying he's gone,'' Palmer said. ''And I'm not saying he's staying. I'm not saying anything. There's been no decision either way.''
Knights coach Rick Stone, who would have retained de Gois had he been in charge next season, was reluctant to comment yesterday. But eventually he shed some light on the situation after being asked whether the Knights wanted de Gois for next year. ''Well, I definitely do,'' Stone said. ''But there's some issues that I'm not totally in control of, so you'll have to talk to somebody else about that.''
De Gois missed a chance to push his claims for retention when he ruled himself out of yesterday's game.
Sidelined for five weeks with a biceps injury, he had been expected to make a comeback.
''Isaac looked confident most of the week and by the time we finished the session [on Saturday] I still thought he was going to play,'' Stone said. ''But he just came to me and said he didn't feel 100per cent confident with it, so we just left him out.''
Two other Knights facing similar uncertainty did their causes no harm yesterday.
Fijian Test captain Wes Naiqama and fullback Shannon McDonnell both scored classy tries and shone in general play. Like de Gois, both are off contract and it remains to be seen if either will be retained, especially if the Knights, as expected, sign Dragons star Darius Boyd.
Meanwhile, all they can do is continue to look their best in the shop window and hope that, regardless of whether they play any role in Wayne's world, they at least have some bargaining power at season's end.
''I think everyone's got to do that,'' Stone said. ''It doesn't matter what position they're in. If they put themselves out there and show they're first-grade players and play some quality footy each week, things will take care of themselves.''
