THIS is the kid Nathan Tinkler couldn't save.
Boyd Cordner, 18, is one of the hottest footballing talents to come out of Newcastle in years.
And guess what - he plays for the
Sydney Roosters. As one good judge pointed out yesterday: "If not for injury, Boyd probably would have captain-coached the Australian Schoolboys for the last two years."
But on Saturday night Boyd's father Chris will travel down from his home at Forster to watch his young bloke make his return in Toyota Cup after 18 months out injured.
This is about when Newcastle fans should start feeling angry. Because in no way is it meant to be a criticism of the kid - or the Roosters' proactive recruitment. Rather, it is the sad reality of life at the
Knights - when they simply don't have the money to match rival offers.
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Perhaps it's another reason why Newcastle could do worse than at least listen to the offer Tinkler wants to put forward to club members.
Some say the Knights can live without Tinkler's money - then get used to life without gun kids like this.
Cordner recalled he was 15 and playing under-18s for NSW when the Roosters first spotted him.
"[Roosters recruitment guru] Peter O'Sullivan spoke to me first and it sort of went from there," Cordner said.
For O'Sullivan, it was kind of like spotting the moon on a black night.
Everyone knew who Cordner was - but the Roosters gave him an opportunity. The kind that makes bank managers smile.
So Cordner took that opportunity and moved to Bondi.
And here we are today.
This is the reason why talent identification is not a fair fight.
It doesn't go on the cap. But it sure makes a difference. And most often it doesn't come down to who spots who first but rather who carries the biggest stick.
Which is perhaps another factor in Tinkler's true value to the Knights.
Or should that be lost value now?
When Cordner was 16 and training with first grade at the Roosters guys like Craig Fitzgibbon and Willie Mason were already saying he was going to be something special. Then injury almost swallowed up his talent.
He broke his jaw and had two knee operations.
For 18 months he's been out injured.
On Saturday night, he returns.
And don't blame the Roosters for giving him a chance and being patient.
That's what winners do.
But Knights fans have every reason to question why it ended this way.
This whole thing isn't just about lost Newcastle first-graders who have gone to other clubs.
It's also about the kids who disappeared along the way.
Kids like Boyd Cordner.
A kid Nathan Tinkler might have saved - if only he had the chance to do it
