Henry released to Titans - immediately.

[Byron Knight]

If Greg Does come, and we get Bedsy our forward pack would instantly go from one of the worst, to one of the best, and thats without Wayne coaching.

8. Snowden
9. Buderus
10. Costigan
11. Bird
12. Taia
13. Housten

14. Hilder
15. Fa'aso
16. Tuimavave
17. Edwards

Pretty tasty forward pack, it has to be said. Loving the bench too. Impact, and Bird to 5/8, Gids to the backline if any injuries occur.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

This is probably what Stone meant when he said Gidley would be in the halves for the rest of the year. Henry was on the cards to leave early and I doubt we'll see Bird here before season end (if we get him at all).
Halves will be Gidley and Roberts (when he is back) until Mullen is back. Then we cross our fingers for no more injuries.

 

[Alex28]

I'm willing to bet that Stone had no idea. He was in the media this week saying he didnt want any more mid-season transfers and management virtually ignored him. I don't reckon he was even consulted - just advised once a decision was made.

 

[Spot On]

If Greg Does come, and we get Bedsy our forward pack would instantly go from one of the worst, to one of the best, and thats without Wayne coaching.

8. Snowden
9. Buderus
10. Costigan
11. Bird
12. Taia
13. Housten

14. Hilder
15. Fa'aso
16. Tuimavave
17. Edwards

Wow. And that's without Bennett possibly bringing players from the Drags. That is very effing impressive.

 

[Serc]

Beau Henry forced out at Newcastle Knights

• Barry Toohey
• June 12, 2011 12:00AM

NEWCASTLE five-eighth Beau Henry was to have played NSW Cup for Knights feeder team Central Coast Centurions yesterday.
Instead, he was packing his bags to fly to the Gold Coast today to join the Titans after becoming the latest casualty in the pre-Wayne Bennett cleanout at the Knights.
Just six games into his NRL career, Henry has been forced out at Newcastle and will play the remainder of this season and the next three years on the Gold Coast.
"I'm bitterly disappointed to be leaving Newcastle," Henry said yesterday.
"I had breakfast with a couple of the boys this morning but it's happened so fast I haven't had a chance to say a proper goodbye to everyone.
"I guess that's professional footy these days. I wasn't wanted next season so I had to make a decision on what was best for me."
Henry said he desperately wanted to finish this season with the Knights.
"Rick Stone and the coaching staff - I can't thank them enough," he said.
"Stoney in particular - I owe him a great deal.
"He gave me the opportunity to play first grade here and it's opened some doors for me.
"I wanted to at least finish the season in Newcastle.
"But the Titans is a good club so I'm looking forward to the challenge of going up there now."
The deal with the Titans was finalised on Friday night.
Stone had planned to play Henry in the NSW Cup yesterday to give him some more game time this weekend, but pulled him out of training on Friday afternoon with the Titans deal pending.
"As a coach, ideally I didn't want to lose him but the decision to allow him to go to the Titans is more about my responsibility to the kid," Stone said.
"They were keen to take him straight away and, given the circumstances, you just don't know if their offer for him is still going to be there at the end of the season."
With Jarrod Mullen sidelined with a torn pectoral muscle, it's expected that youngster Tyrone Roberts will be skipper Kurt Gidley's halves partner when the Knights take on Penrith on Saturday night.
Roberts, out injured for a few weeks, is expected to be back in full training this week.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ewcastle-knights/story-e6frexnr-1226073499081

 

[Serc]

Gold Coast snap up Henry after Knights grant release
Josh Rakic
June 12, 2011

NEWCASTLE five-eighth Beau Henry has cut ties with the club, effective immediately, and is set to line up for the Gold Coast Titans against South Sydney on Friday.
Told he was unwanted by incoming coach Wayne Bennett six weeks ago, the 21-year-old finalised negotiations with the Titans on Friday and will head north today, beginning his new 2½-year contract with the club tomorrow.
Incumbent Knights coach Rick Stone was reluctant to let the former St George Illawarra under-20s star depart this season but Titans chief executive Michael Searle said the club was desperate to fill the void left by retired playmaker Mat Rogers after the likes of Preston Campbell, William Zillman, Greg Bird and Luke Capewell failed to make a significant impact in the position.
''We've signed him for this year and two more - he'll be on the Gold Coast on Monday,'' Searle told The Sun-Herald. ''It's a good one for us. We've been in discussions for four to six weeks and it's been thereabouts for a while.''
He said that despite reports from the Dragons camp that Henry, the Toyota Cup player of the year in 2009, was a handful to deal with at Wollongong and had attitude issues, Newcastle staff insisted he had been a welcome asset at their club.
''Our coaching staff have spoken to Rick Stone and [Knights official] Keith Onslow and the feedback they had was very positive,'' Searle said. ''They were reluctant to let him go. But they saw there was an opportunity for him to cement himself a position with us on the Gold Coast, so they agreed.
''I think they realised … we were very keen to get him up here this year and I think it's a credit to the club that they let him go. A lot of clubs would have just said no. But they understand there's a good opportunity for him on the Gold Coast and a good chance for him to get his feet on the ground sooner rather than later. He comes in as a five-eighth.''
Searle said that given Henry's NRL experience and that he had been playing first grade consistently, he could find himself in the Titans No.6 jumper as early as this Friday.
''That's up to 'Carty' [coach John Cartwright], but yeah, you never know,'' Searle said. ''He's certainly fit enough. Knowing John, I'd say he'll want Beau to spend a bit of time around the team first, but that's not to say he won't play … He'll probably travel with the team.''

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/gold-coast-snap-up-henry-after-knights-grant-release-20110611-1fy2f.html

The highlighted part is also a reminder for me to not believe everything players say in interviews!!! (Henry said in an interview a couple of weeks ago that it was the first he'd heard of him not being wanted in 2012)

 

[Belly07]

How is it that the Titans can continually sign quality players from other clubs?? This smells alot like Melbourne to me. I can't understand how the Knights can release Henry to another club....when Mullen is out indefinately with injury and we have no other viable halves.....WTF are they doing??? Seems strange that Stone is allowing someone to pull the strings on the current playing squad cruelling any chances they may now have of making the semi's this year.

 

[Johns Magic]

How is it that the Titans can continually sign quality players from other clubs?? This smells alot like Melbourne to me.

When did Melbourne sign quality players from other clubs?

 

[Belly07]

Ok....I should say ANY player from other clubs

 

[Johns Magic]

I really think the Storm built their team from within...they didn't really poach players, and if they did I'd say it was to a lesser extent than the vast majority of the rest of the teams in the competition.

Their problem was not letting go of the junior talent they'd developed.

 

[Belly07]

I disagree. Not long ago Melbourne was the destination of any player that had a falling out with their current club. Newton and Finch are just 2 for example. The Titans are now in that same boat. Any player either coming off contract, or leaving their current club for whatever reason....now seems to be going to them. I'd really like to know how they can sign so many players, and yet remain under the cap.

 

[Johns Magic]

I disagree. Not long ago Melbourne was the destination of any player that had a falling out with their current club. Newton and Finch are just 2 for example. The Titans are now in that same boat. Any player either coming off contract, or leaving their current club for whatever reason....now seems to be going to them. I'd really like to know how they can sign so many players, and yet remain under the cap.

Firstly, you are saying that the Storm took other team's rejects, not stars. You then name two "examples", but I bet you couldn't name another, unless you go way back in time or throw up names of people who were quite simply nobodies.

What good players did the Storm ever poach? I can think of Michael Crocker in 2006. Otherwise there's not many.

The Titans have signed a whole bunch of players who would have been hotly in demand everywhere in the NRL. The storm never did that.

The Storm cheated, but they weren't a poaching side. They made themselves from a string of juniors and nobodies who they turned into stars.

I'm genuinely curious to hear of all these great players you think they poached. Newton was on a half-year deal after being kicked out by us, and Finch was driven out by two clubs in a row, all of whose fans thought he was hopeless.

 

[Byron Knight]

Firstly, you are saying that the Storm took other team's rejects, not stars. You then name two "examples", but I bet you couldn't name another, unless you go way back in time or throw up names of people who were quite simply nobodies.

What good players did the Storm ever poach? I can think of Michael Crocker in 2006. Otherwise there's not many.

The Titans have signed a whole bunch of players who would have been hotly in demand everywhere in the NRL. The storm never did that.

The Storm cheated, but they weren't a poaching side. They made themselves from a string of juniors and nobodies who they turned into stars.

I'm genuinely curious to hear of all these great players you think they poached. Newton was on a half-year deal after being kicked out by us, and Finch was driven out by two clubs in a row, all of whose fans thought he was hopeless.

With you JM. Lots of astute recruitment as opposed to established stars. I think there may be the confusion bearing in mind who has left over the years. Kidwell, Smith, Hoffman, etc.

 

[RABK]

Firstly, you are saying that the Storm took other team's rejects, not stars. You then name two "examples", but I bet you couldn't name another, unless you go way back in time or throw up names of people who were quite simply nobodies.

What good players did the Storm ever poach? I can think of Michael Crocker in 2006. Otherwise there's not many.

The Titans have signed a whole bunch of players who would have been hotly in demand everywhere in the NRL. The storm never did that.

The Storm cheated, but they weren't a poaching side. They made themselves from a string of juniors and nobodies who they turned into stars.

I'm genuinely curious to hear of all these great players you think they poached. Newton was on a half-year deal after being kicked out by us, and Finch was driven out by two clubs in a row, all of whose fans thought he was hopeless.

You are such a closet Storm fan. lol

 

[Coastbloke]

Surprised this happened now but I'm not surprised it happened. The guy is average. He might turn into something in the future but I doubt it. Carving up non existant NYC defense does not automatically mean your gonna be a good NRL player and if we are paying him 220K that is massive overs. Bennett prides his sides on defense and Henry has thus far proven a massive liability in this area. Some will say Soward is the same, but his other skills more than make up for it.

Was saying that in the off season, but the ''éxperts'' here disagreed...

Such geniuses...

 

[Johns Magic]

You are such a closet Storm fan. lol

I'd be lying if I said they weren't my second favourite team...but I just love the way they play and the way they keep making new stars.

I really rate Bellamy.

 

[Apey]

well you're an idiot then because he has no game plans

 

[Silent Knight]

Yeah I mean he never comes down to the sidelines at half time to make sure his team wins.

 

[Burwood]

Titans have just released Tagataese mid-season, presumably to free up cap space for Henry's arrival. I doubt we'll be getting bird anymore.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Are we actually after Bird? Yet to hear or read HSG mention him directly.