Knights return fire on Mitchell Sargent

[Pumba]

Knights return fire on Mitchell Sargent
BY BRETT KEEBLE

KNIGHTS chief executive Steve Burraston believed Mitchell Sargent's parting pot-shots at coach Brian Smith and former teammate Danny Wicks would leave a "black mark" against the ex-Newcastle, North Queensland and Melbourne prop's name.

Sargent, who made his Super League debut for Castleford last Sunday after being released from the final 18 months of his contract with Newcastle, has unloaded on Smith and Wicks in an interview in this week's issue of Rugby League Week magazine.

The 29-year-old former Country Origin representative said Newcastle players did not respect Wicks, and he was annoyed Smith did not give him a chance to play an NRL game this year.

"I just wanted to show Brian Smith what I had to offer and he couldn't even give me one more chance to prove my value," Sargent was quoted as saying.

"Yet Smith keeps players like Danny Wicks, who no-one respects because he doesn't train hard and perform.

"I know I can offer Newcastle a lot more than he is currently offering and that makes it even more frustrating. Danny could be anything if he put his mind to it but he is yet to show me that potential."

Wicks would not be drawn on the issue yesterday.

"There are some people's opinions that I value, and then there are others. That's all I want to say," Wicks said last night.

Smith said Sargent's comments "are a bit of a sad reflection on him".

"All I'll say is that Mitch was given an opportunity to resurrect his career at the Knights, and was also given an opportunity to further his career by the club helping to organise a new contract for him in England," Smith said.

"I think the fact that he had ample opportunity to say whatever he wanted before he left is a bit of a reflection on him also, that he's done his talking through a magazine."

Sargent's two-and-a-half-year deal with Castleford was finalised two months ago but visa issues kept him in Australia until last week. He came off the bench in their 40-14 home loss to Huddersfield last Sunday, keeping them at the bottom of the Super League ladder.

Burraston said the Knights, and Smith in particular, helped Sargent secure that deal.

"I find it disappointing that a player would give someone from his club a spray on their way out the door, particularly when he had plenty of opportunity to say it while he was here," Burraston said.

"While I didn't have direct discussions with him, the people I've spoken to said he was quite happy with moving on and that gave him more opportunity to play and earn extra income.

"And I know that people within our office, particularly Brian Smith, worked hard to get him a spot somewhere else.

"I wouldn't like anyone to bag anyone in any organisation ... it's just wrong for people to air their grievances in public.

"Mitchell is entitled to his opinion of Danny Wicks but then the coach is entitled to his as well. There might have been times when Mitchell wasn't playing well but other players or the coach or anyone else isn't going to jump into the papers and talk about it.

"It is disappointing that someone chooses that path, and I hope he learns from it and it doesn't happen again, because I think it's going to leave a black mark against him as far as the average football follower is concerned at most clubs, not just the Knights."

Burraston believed Sargent's injury and illness issues, and the form of other front-rowers, contributed to him being unable to break back into the NRL squad.

Sargent was sacked by the Cowboys in August 2006 for testing positive to cocaine in an in-house drug test. The Knights threw him a lifeline, signing him to a three-year deal, but he played just 14 games and all of those were last year.

He contracted a golden staph infection after an ankle injury at the start of the 2007 season then suffered double pneumonia in the pre-season this year and played only a handful of NSW Cup games before being offered the chance to look for another club.

Meanwhile, Smith said Wicks remained "a chance" of returning from an ankle injury against Gold Coast at Skilled Park next Monday.

"He ran well today but he only did straight-line stuff so we'll see if he progresses through agility and contact tomorrow and again on Saturday," Smith said last night.

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Someone had to say it :lol:

 

[Yosh]

Hopefully its a bit of a G-up for Wicks and comes home firing in the finals...

 

[aqua_duck]

Well if what Pika says is true about Wicks missing alot of training sessioins through headaches and alike, and now Sarge firing up, the fat s*** really does need to pull his fat finger out......

 

[otori]

At least Smith didn't try and deny that he forced Sargent out by playing an underperforming blimp week in week out with no regards to form. What I find interesting is that (and this could be false but frankly it seems true considering the facts we have) there are issues that the other players have with him being picked. Also, it annoys the sh*t out of me that we kicked out someone who had desire and a passion for playing.

 

[Pumba]

I think Wicks is on some good coin aswell.

 

[otori]

I think Wicks is on some good coin aswell.

I think I just died a little inside.

 

[Pumba]

I think I just died a little inside.

Thats what was going around when we signed him anyway.

 

[BG]

Having heard it from Pika, and now Sargent, I suppose it's safe to assume that Wicks isn't our most dedicated trainer.

In one way, this has an upside. Sargent does begrudgingly admit that Wicks "could be anything if he put his mind to it". It took Smith a couple of years to unleash the footballer in Fuifui Moimoi, so you never know what might happen. If we'd already seen Wicks at his potential best than we'd know for sure we'd wasted a bundle of cash.

As for Sarg himself, I was quite a fan of the way he performed for us last year, but these sour grapes are a bit pathetic. Another thing we heard from Pika earlier in the year is that while Wicks was hardly setting the standard at training, Sarg was hardly setting the world on fire in NSW Cup. Danny Wicks's ample arse might not have been his only obstacle to first grade given we also have Taufua, White and the option of Simpson in the front row.

I appreciate that it must be frustrating for someone like Sarg who is a very willing performer, a guy who probably plays above his ability, and who, after getting his career back on track after his drug issue, has had injury and illness misfortunes that are beyond his control. But Smith's attitude is pretty apparent. He has instituted a policy of youth and potential, and the pruning shears lurk close by anyone who is getting on in years and showing a tendancy to be injury or illness-prone. A lot of the blokes who have been cut have been far from poor footballers. But the plan is clearly to develop a big, fast, young and robust side with heaps of improvement in them and as little acquaintance with the casualty ward as possible.

 

[Pika]

Sarg was coming back from double pneumonia in PL.

He was off the pace through the year, but in the last few rounds before he left he was close to an NRL start and probably deserved one. Everyone was aware of his frustration at not getting that start.

Sarg would have accepted being held back by quality performers in top grade, but his feelings were made clear frequently that he was not happy not getting a start behind an overweight under performing Wicks.

A lot of people were picking him well before he was ready, and thats when I said he is not yet performing at PL level yet.

I would have Sarg in my squad before Wicks any day of the week.

All the potential in the world means nothing if its not realised.

There are a hundred kids running around out there with potential to be stars. At the end of the day only a special few make it to the top through hard work and dedication.

Wicks is yet to show me anything that would suggest he will reach his potential.

 

[Karmawave]

Sounds like nothing has changed from Wicks Dragon days.

Didn't have respect there, and sounds like it isn't in great abundance here either.

 

[antonius]

Now we are going down the same path with Royal and White. I know who I want to stay at the club given a choice and it aint Wicks.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Sounds like nothing has changed from Wicks Dragon days.

Didn't have respect there, and sounds like it isn't in great abundance here either.

Bingo.

At the Dragons he bludged around at training and often failed to show to fitness sessions. A lot of his attitude was blamed on Brownies "were all mates attitude" to coaching but it is increasingly obvious that it is all on Danny. Hard to believe that Smithy is putting up with that kind of crap though.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

I can see Wicks being released in the offseason. His housemate is House (no pun intended) so one wonders how players who are at opposite ends of the effort scale can really live together and not create some sort of friction. House busts his a### week in week out and is incredibly fit. Wicks has to go. Can't beleieve we are letting players slip through our grasp cos of this lay about. Sarge should never have been allowed to leave. The Sargent/Cross front row partnership would've been as good as any given time.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I think Wicks is on some good coin aswell.

Of course he is!! An average persons salary couldn't afford all that food!

 

[Joker's Wild]

Of course he is!! An average persons salary couldn't afford all that food!

He has personal sponsors for that. See sig below :lol:

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I can see Wicks being released in the offseason. His housemate is House (no pun intended) so one wonders how players who are at opposite ends of the effort scale can really live together and not create some sort of friction. House busts his a### week in week out and is incredibly fit. Wicks has to go. Can't beleieve we are letting players slip through our grasp cos of this lay about. Sarge should never have been allowed to leave. The Sargent/Cross front row partnership would've been as good as any given time.

Great post!

 

[Serc]

While it is a bit low to have parting shots via a magazine when across the other side of the world, its nice to have things confirmed from the player side of things. If we lose Royal and White on top of Sargent and keep Wicks - well that will be Smithys first big black mark for me, and a massive one at that.

If we struggle in the front row next season and Wicks doesn't start to look like a prop with real power and impact like a Fui or a Mason then Smithy and the others making these decisions only have themselves to blame.

 

[Jono078]

I can see Sargent's POV.

That would be extremely frustrating.

Id like to keep Wicks because of his potential alone. Someone needs to get right in his ear late this year and get him in peak condition for next year, get his mind right.

If that doesnt happen id get rid of him and pull Royal out of the coal mines.

 

[Mr Angry]

Well it answers one question.

"who ate all the pies?"

Clearly Danny Wicks

 

[perverse]

While it is a bit low to have parting shots via a magazine when across the other side of the world, its nice to have things confirmed from the player side of things. If we lose Royal and White on top of Sargent and keep Wicks - well that will be Smithys first big black mark for me, and a massive one at that.

If we struggle in the front row next season and Wicks doesn't start to look like a prop with real power and impact like a Fui or a Mason then Smithy and the others making these decisions only have themselves to blame.

to be fair, it shouldn't be a black mark until it doesn't work.

if wicks does realise his potential under smith then there will be a lot of egg on a lot of faces. i'll give smithy the benefit of the doubt until i see us on the paddock next year in regards to this years recruitment/retention. smithy isn't the kind of coach to not have a plan... and a lot of his early year decisions this year were criticized.. yet it's all making a lot more sense towards the end of the year. sometimes it's hard to see the forest for the trees. personally, i'm going the judge the results on the field.. not the road that gets us there.

having said all of that, i too am quite bewildered by our shedding of props at the moment.