Chief urges patience in Simmo's injury battle
BY BRETT KEEBLE
28 Jul, 2010 04:00 AM
INSPIRATIONAL former Knights captain Paul Harragon would prefer to see one-time teammate Steve Simpson sit out the rest of this season so he could play on next year, rather than rush back and do further damage to his chronic knee injury.
Harragon's own decorated career was cut short 11 years ago due to a similarly degenerative knee condition. The premiership-winning skipper and prop was 30 - the same age Simpson is now - when he retired in 1999 after 169 first-grade games for Newcastle, 20 Origin matches for NSW and 17 Tests for Australia.
Simpson, who had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee seven weeks ago and has not played since May 21, hopes to return for the game against the Bulldogs at EnergyAustralia Stadium on August 8 but is still unable to run a significant distance without pain.
"I'll see how we go over the next couple of weeks . . . it's a slow process at the moment," Simpson said yesterday.
"It is feeling slightly better, but there is still a way to go. It's a bit of a waiting game - I'm a bit frustrated - but there's not really much more I can do."
Asked if could envisage a comeback date, Simpson said: "To be honest, I'm not 100 per cent sure. I might try to run again some time this week and see how it goes and take it from there."
Simpson is a free agent at the end of this season and how well he recovers will determine whether he wants to keep playing, or if the Knights choose to offer him a contract extension.
Harragon empathises with his fellow former NSW and Australian representative. He was forced to retire before he wanted to because the wear and tear in his arthritic left knee became too much to bear.
Provided Simpson wants to play on next season and the Knights want to re-sign him, Harragon said his long-term worth was more valuable than any immediate benefit.
"Simmo doesn't need to be hasty about this because he's just too great an asset; he's too important to the club," Harragon said.
"Someone of his experience and his stature in the game, they're a very rare commodity in rugby league these days.
"If he doesn't get back and play one of these last six games this year, it's probably better for him and the club in the long run for him to give it a full off-season to get it right then come back again next year with his knee as strong and healthy as he can get it.
"That potential is far greater than rushing back for a game this year if it's not quite right."
Harragon's last game, a 20-15 victory over the Panthers at Penrith on May 16, 1999, was Simpson's third in the NRL and the only time they played together for the Knights.
Simpson has maintained his general fitness by working overtime in the gym and with strength and conditioning coach Mick Reid.
