Gidley to return in halves
BY BRETT KEEBLE
29 Mar, 2011 04:00 AM
KNIGHTS captain Kurt Gidley is likely to be Jarrod Mullens halves partner when he returns from a back injury for Newcastles first home game of the season, against St George Illawarra at Ausgrid Stadium on Sunday.
Faced with a debilitating injury toll arising from their 26-12 loss to Manly at Brookvale Oval on Sunday, Knights coach Rick Stone was buoyed by reports Gidley would play against the Dragons and veteran centre Adam MacDougall was expected to make his first appearance this season.
Gidley has not played since tearing a disc in his lower back in Newcastles 42-8 humbling of Penrith at Centrebet Stadium on March 13.
MacDougall was granted compassionate leave four weeks ago to mourn the death of his father, Gil, but resumed team training last week.
The return of the experienced NSW and Australian representatives against the reigning NRL and world club champions will take some sting out of the loss of pivots Beau Henry (ankle) and Ben Rogers (shoulder) and back-rower Cameron Ciraldo (chest) to long-term injuries.
Henry had X-rays in Sydney on Sunday night that cleared him of a broken right ankle but he and Ciraldo, who suffered a torn pectoral muscle, had MRI scans yesterday to determine the extent of their soft-tissue damage.
Rogers, who Stone expected would be sidelined for at least six weeks, had his dislocated right shoulder realigned under anaesthetic in hospital in Sydney after the game on Sunday night and he will have follow-up scans this week once the swelling subsides.
Fullback Shannon McDonnell and prop Richie Faaoso had concussion in the bruising loss to Manly and back-rower Zeb Taia suffered a corked calf muscle.
Stone said Henry, Rogers and Ciraldo would be unavailable for an extended period and McDonnell, Faaoso and Taia would be assessed later this week.
In Beaus case, he had an X-ray last night, which showed no break, so were thinking now that its ligament damage in his ankle and thats what the MRI will show, Stone said yesterday.
Ciro has some sort of tear in his pec and a tear over 50 or 60per cent will basically mean surgery and out for the season, so were hoping its just a partial tear where it can reattach itself. Zebs got a bit of a cork but I dont think hes in any real danger of not playing this week.
Back-rower Con Mika was concussed in Central Coast Centurions 22-20 victory over Newtown in a NSW Cup game at Henson Park on Saturday.
Like McDonnell and Faaoso, Mika will be given a CogSport test on Thursday to determine his neurological health status.
If McDonnell is ruled out, Stone indicated utility back Wes Naiqama would switch to fullback, MacDougall would return in the centres and Gidley would partner Mullen at the scrum base.
Thats probably a likely scenario, Stone said.
Theres no question mark around Kurt, we would suggest at this stage. One of the reasons we didnt risk him last week was that he definitely wanted to be involved in this game this week.
Stone said Kiwi Test centre Junior Sau carried a minor groin strain into the game against Manly.
Though Sau is unlikely to miss the Dragons match, Keith Lulia is on standby.
Junior Kiwis representative Siuatonga Likiliki, who was recruited from the Warriors in the off-season, is unavailable for six weeks as he recovers from a knee injury.
Stone hoped prop Mark Taufua would be available this week but did not expect hooker Isaac De Gois to play.
Taufua ruptured the extensor tendon in his right little finger in a Centurions trial against Newcastle club Western Suburbs on February 27.
De Gois broke his thumb against Penrith.
Stone said Marvin Karawana, who was 18th man for the Manly game, Mika, Steve Southern, Kyle ODonnell and Zane Tetevano were among the contenders to replace Ciraldo.
Its not as though we havent got bodies there, he said.
Weve just got to make the right decision thats going to complement the side the best.
