Cross released to Rhinos

[Serc]

Cross Released to Rhinos
Monday October 11, 2010

Knights Prop Ben Cross has agreed to a two-year deal with English Super League club Leeds Rhinos.
Cross and his manager Steve Stone approached the Knights earlier this week for permission to investigate opportunities in England.
After an offer from Leeds for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, the 31-year-old gained a release from his recently agreed 2011 Knights contract.
“There has been an opportunity presented to Ben to further extend his playing career beyond 2011 which he has chosen to pursue and his request for release was granted,” Knights Strategic Development Manager Keith Onslow said.
“Crossy intended to finish his career in England, it is a little sooner than we had anticipated but we wish Ben and his young family all the best for the future.”

Source: Members email

Hmm that is a shame...now we look a little light in the prop department again (and 100% confirms Costigan at prop for 2011)

 

[ClintDogg]

Thank god.

IDK what they seen in this guy. Was 4ever injured and done nothing all game. We can pay sum1 else the Big money hes on or even less, and they would do a better job. Maybe two props 4 his price he was on.

CYA Crossy, and take ya 2 different coloured boots with you.

 

[doggone]

2 year deal is better for him and his family. Good Luck.

 

[roopy]

They'll be lucky to get 10 games out of him - as would we have been.

He dragged his injured old body around the field in about half his games last season because he was playing for the last big paycheck of his career, and now he has signed it, it's time for his version of the Monty Python album 'Contractual Obligations'.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

do we have any genuine front rowers now apart from tolar? I know we will probably play costigan at prop and he has been playing well there but i am struggling to think of anyone else who can play up front week in week out. Most of our back rowers could play there at a pinch but are not a permanent fix.

 

[roopy]

I think this will mean Edwards and Tovo will see more firstgrade and i hope it means we will give Dane Cordner and Kruize Wilson second tier contracts.

I honestly think those four young and healthy guys are a better deal than Cross keeping our rehab team in work.

We also brought Warren Schillings back from the Qld cup for the last month or so of the season for the Centurions. That must be for a reason.

 

[Pure_Knight]

Kaufusi is a genuine front rower, tuimavave, faaso, edwards, taufua (is a natural front rower look at his 09 and now he actually bends the line)...finn, ailomai in the lower grades... chance we have kept hold of kruise wilson too, and possible mitch garbutt from the newcastle comp.. i dare say we may pick someone up after losing cross...seems interesting

 

[Pure_Knight]

I think this will mean Edwards and Tovo will see more firstgrade and i hope it means we will give Dane Cordner and Kruize Wilson second tier contracts.

I honestly think those four young and healthy guys are a better deal than Cross keeping our rehab team in work.

are you sure Tovo is still with us? thought is contract was up this year?

 

[Pure_Knight]

actually...mulling over this.. i think it smells of a chris houston come back

 

[roopy]

are you sure Tovo is still with us? thought is contract was up this year?

I thought he had a two year contract, but i won't miss him if he's gone either.
I've never rated him.

 

[Pure_Knight]

I thought he had a two year contract, but i won't miss him if he's gone either.
I've never rated him.

agree... hoping garbutt has his 2nd tier contract

 

[Apey]

I have never been a huge fan of some of Cross' work, and in fact think he was overrated a bit by some... to me, he always seemed to get bent back by the defence too easily...

... but this just seems bizarre given our prop situation. He may have had his problems (top-heavy, lateral movement, getting dominated, lol), but he was always the best of our pack by far.

 

[roopy]

I'd love to see us give Garbo an off season to trim down to a svelte 120kg or so and see how well he can offload in the NRL.

 

[timka4]

actually...mulling over this.. i think it smells of a chris houston come back

was thinking the same thing.

Costigan and Kafusi will be the front row for next year, whether I like that or not I don't know

 

[Alex28]

We now have next to no depth in the front row...with our injury move I don't think this is an astute move at all.

 

[Noname36]

Well I guess I'm the only one that's bothered by this. I don't think Cross is all that great (although I do like the bloke), but seriously out frontrow stocks are very slim.

We need House back badly. We need Tui to bounce back right away from his injury. We need Kafusi to play some more minutes. We need Edwards to step up. We need to make sure this doesn't ensure Tolar walks into the side. We need a lot to happen to compensate for this imo.

I also think Cross would have come in handy with all of the young players we have at the club. Seriously, at this rate the average age of our side will be 18.

 

[RHCP]

I'm really quite shocked. From a fans perspective it's extremely disappointing, but if I were to walk a mile in Crossy's shoes I'd understand his motivation to do so.

I'm sad to see him go, but on a positive note, this way Joel Edwards and Sione Tovo have the opportunity to see some game time in 2011 as I believe they've both got plenty of potential to build upon and are more than ready for first grade.

 

[Serc]

Well I guess I'm the only one that's bothered by this. I don't think Cross is all that great (although I do like the bloke), but seriously out frontrow stocks are very slim.

Did you read the thread before posting, there's at least 2 posts (one mine) that say the same thing as you

 

[Nuffy]

Good of the club to do this for Cross, I just hope that the club has a genuine prop in their back pocket ready to go.

If they don't, Onslow, Burro and Stone are going to look very silly when a couple of our average props go down with injury.

 

[The_Joey_Show]

Very disappointing for us, but good for him. I can't blame him in the slightest for wanting what is best for his family... it's easy to forget that he wasn't on great coin in Melbourne and that really the only decent contract he signed in his career was with us.

Christ I hope Costo has a big year... we are gonna need him.