Looks like two weeks off returning still:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Buderus-not-available-for-NRL-Knights/2007/07/31/1185647897220.html
Buderus not available for NRL Knights
July 31, 2007 - 7:19PM
Newcastle coach Brian Smith has challenged every player to lift the club out of their current slump with news hooker Danny Buderus won't be available for at least another two weeks.
Buderus has enjoyed rapid improvement with his Achilles tendonitis but continues to battle a medial ligament tear in his knee and Smith believes he will "struggle" to play against Manly next week in Gosford.
"Buderus is not even close," said Smith about the prospects of Buderus playing this Friday against St George Illawarra.
"He will struggle for the next week versus Manly.
"We have got him on the right track with the Achilles tendonitis problem and he is bragging about how well that is going.
"But he has got very little improvement with the medial problem in his knee so he is going to have to improve quite remarkably to play against Manly next week."
The Knights are reeling after another weekend thumping, a 52-10 loss to New Zealand Warriors. It was their third defeat in a row, virtually ending their NRL finals campaign.
Smith said the players had organised their own team meeting to address their form slump, adding he was impressed with their initiative and urged them to show their character to lift the club from the doldrums.
"They had a chat about it themselves, the boys today," said Smith, who gave the players an afternoon off to recover from flu and soreness from the weekend mauling.
"We are not going to solve any problems by flogging them at this stage of the season.
"We are hoping for a complete lift in energy levels because we have just had too many guys who weren't with the program on Saturday night (versus Warriors).
"The fact the boys wanted to chat amongst each other is another good sign.
"Probably the other thing is every game we have played here in Newcastle this year the boys have really had a good lash.
"I would not write us off yet."
Smith also confirmed Newcastle centre Adam MacDougall has agreed to terms for another season at the club next season.