Henry released to Titans - immediately.

[macavity]

Henry leaves Knights


BY CRAIG KERRY
11 Jun, 2011 04:00 AM
BEAU Henry will join the Gold Coast Titans on Monday after the Knights five-eighth last night became the latest casualty in Newcastle’s pre-Wayne Bennett cleanout.
When contacted last night, Henry’s manager Gavin Orr said the promising playmaker had signed a three-year deal with the Titans ‘‘an hour ago’’ and would join the club next week.
The 21-year-old came to the Knights this season on a three-year deal from premiers St George Illawarra, where he was the 2009 National Youth Competition player of the year but was unable to break into the NRL under Bennett last season.
With Bennett taking over at Newcastle from 2012, speculation was rife that the Warilla Gorillas junior would move on. He last night joined Cory Paterson and Mark Taufua as contracted Knights to find new clubs after being told by Newcastle to explore other options. Paterson has moved to the Cowboys and Taufua will join Cronulla next year.
Orr indicated the move was bittersweet for Henry.
‘‘He’s very happy with the deal but obviously disappointed he wasn’t able to stay at Newcastle with the whole Wayne Bennett situation throwing a spanner in the works,’’ Orr said.
‘‘But Beau’s a professional and he knows sometimes you have to move on and he’s looking forward to playing first grade at the Titans.’’
Orr said the Titans deal was on similar terms to one Henry had with the Knights and would run for the rest of this season and three more.
The news on Henry came a day after the Knights announced the signing of Dragons, Queensland and Australian star Darius Boyd, which is believed to be a major factor in Henry’s move.
With Boyd at Newcastle next year, Kurt Gidley is expected to move into the halves to partner Jarrod Mullen – leaving Henry on the outer.
There was also a reported falling out between Bennett and Henry last year.
Prop Antonio Kaufusi is another contracted Knight who has been told to look elsewhere and hooker Isaac De Gois has been linked with a move back to Cronulla.
Henry had been one of the Knights’ major off-season recruits. Having shuffled through an array of halves since the 2007 retirement of Andrew Johns, the Knights saw Henry as a potential long-term heir to Johns.
He made his NRL debut with Newcastle in round one this year against Penrith and put in eye-catching performances before an ankle injury against Manly in round three stalled his season.
He had eight weeks out and returned in the 12-10 loss to the Roosters.

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/henry-leaves-knights/2192014.aspx

shame.

 

[voltron]

what the hell...

 

[cram]

Obviously, Gidley is moving to the halves.

 

[The_Joey_Show]

Obviously, Gidley is moving to the halves.

Yep, it's pretty clear that WB sees Kurt as his Ben Hornby... unspectacular, but solid, reliable, defensively sound, and relatively error free.

I guess that means he sees Mullo as his Soward... the ringleader and fulcrum of the attack. Hope he is up to it - our chances of being a premiership threat hinge on it. That's a lot of pressure on one bloke, but with Gidley at 7 that's the reality.

It seems obvious that the Henry-Bennett thing was never going to work out. For whatever reason, WB doesn't rate him. That's his prerogative, and let's face it, over the years he's been right a hell of a lot more times than he's been wrong. But I still don't see why the release had to be immediate.

Were the Tits only keen if it was now? Do we believe we are flush with scrumbase options? Has the rise of Roberts pushed Beau back in the order? Or has Stone just gone cold on him?

Interesting questions...

 

[Alex28]

We will regret this move...

 

[Joker's Wild]

Woooooooooooow

I'm floored. So it's an immediate move? What are we gonna do next weekend in the halves? I really hope Roberts is fit because if not we are now screwed

 

[macavity]

hands up who is excited at the thought of the attacking genius that will be a Hilder/Gidley halves combo.... :sarcasm:

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

This is a tad f**ked. Surely he could of saw out the year.

Tit's must be picking up a decent chunk of his salary this year!

 

[aussies1st]

Shame Henry is going he would have thrived under WB.

 

[macavity]

My understanding is that Henry was on around 200-220k with us. A lot to pay for a rookie half, but we had strong competition for his signature.

This release has a few explanations - most obviously money.

Roberts is another - I understand he is the fittest guy at the club (yes, fitter than Gids), a fantastic trainer (Henry was not), has impressed in FG, and is on peanuts.

I still don't think Rogers will stay.

You would have to think that we are clearing the decks for something major here (Bird, Bedsy, another prop?) - either that or we have allocated way too much cap money to snowy and boyd.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

So is Wayne lending us Sowie for the rest of the year? Have you noticed the trend of this club the last 3 years. We literally let coaches and players walk out the door before their deals are up. Clearly we are not taking this season very seriously anymore. Stoney must be ready to walk out. It is sabotage of his season.

 

[devoid]

Wow.

 

[The_Joey_Show]

hands up who is excited at the thought of the attacking genius that will be a Hilder/Gidley halves combo.... :sarcasm:

Macavity makes me sad

I guess while I was posing questions in my earlier posts, I should have added "Have we just given up on 2011?".

 

[K-Man]

wow things move fast once you officially lock in the biggest name on the open market.

I will hold judgment until next year on how WB gets Gidley to work in the halves... but in terms of THIS year - what the hell? We just lost our key playmaker for the season, and our other two options (Roberts and Rogers) are both injured.

Is this a concession that our season is gone? What message do all these immediate releases send to our current squad? If I'm one of the normally lazy forwards anyway, I'm starting to think "well, not even the coach and management think we can make the finals so who give's a rat's".

I like Henry and I think he has a future once he finds his feet. Scott Prince will be great for him, a more reliable version of Mullen and Beau will fit in up there imo. Having said that I do have faith in Bennett at this point, but geez if Gids doesn't fire the great man is going to look silly. So much hinges on our captain being able to not ruin everything.

Kicking game? it's all Mullen now. We don't even have a kicking hooker or a kicking fullback. Now we don't have a kicking half either. So it is basically 90% resting on Jarrod, which is not something I'm comfortable with.

Hope Roberts is signed up already... is he? Benny Rogers back in the frame! maybe WB can find those diamonds and bury the rocks deep underground forever.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

I've always rated Roberts over Henry and hopefully Bennett does too from what his seen, I wouldn't say Gids to halfback is written in stone yet, particular with the Buderus rumours persisting.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

So is Wayne lending us Sowie for the rest of the year? Have you noticed the trend of this club the last 3 years. We literally let coaches and players walk out the door before their deals are up. Clearly we are not taking this season very seriously anymore. Stoney must be ready to walk out. It is sabotage of his season.

I normally think you talk a lot of shit but I think your right there Newie, I wouldn't blame stone at all if he told them to go f**k themselves cuz this season is being treated horrifically and its a tad disgusting to be honest.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

I bet a certain Coastbloke is doing laps of his living room right now. It is like an Olympic class 'I told you so' this one for him on a personal level.

 

[doggone]

Good luck to Henry.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

I normally think you talk a lot of shit but I think your right there Newie, I wouldn't blame stone at all if he told them to go f**k themselves cuz this season is being treated horrifically and its a tad disgusting to be honest.

Coming from you, that is compliment. As for me talking s### well it is all about having something to say and backing it. If you don't agree with me then I am happy to disagree cos we all know you are an out and out knobhead.

 

[billy2]

The recurring theme with Bennett signings is that he just won't pay overs for anyone but current Kangaroos, and young ones at that.
He no doubt fancies himself to turn Kurt Mann or Tom Rouse or Tyler Sullivan into the equal of Henry for 55k - so why pay 220k for a rookie.
Young guys play for Bennett for a discount - not for overs.