O'Davis looking to join Wigan

[Frederick]

Luck of Irish for O'Davis
By WILL SWANTON

Robbie O'Davis thought indigenous blood was coursing through his veins. He thought his grandfather - the one who died in the NSW country town of Young in 1968 - was Aboriginal.
Lo and behold, to be sure, to be sure, O'Davis thought wrong. His grandfather was born in Ireland - a revelation that leaves the former Australian fullback chasing Irish citizenship in an attempt to resurrect his career with English Super League club Wigan.
O'Davis, who is being helped by Sonny Bill Williams's management team of Chris and Gavin Orr, is likely to earn a start with Wigan if he has an Irish passport because they won't have to include him in their quota of international players.
"Yep, I've applied for the citizenship - my dad's father was Irish." O'Davis said. "The only problem is we can't find out where he was born. He deserted the Irish army and changed his name to O'Davis when he was over here and that's the name we stuck with, but our proper last name is McCarthy. His name was Mark McCarthy.
"We have to be able to prove he was Irish with his birth certificate and then relate him to us. As soon as we do that, I can get my Irish passport and go over there to play."
Chris Orr said: "Robbie can't believe there isn't any Aboriginal heritage in him. He's played in indigenous touch footy days, all that stuff. He's a bit stunned. He had no idea until recently."
The Newcastle Knights sacked O'Davis last year. He's desperate to milk a few more years from his career.
"Dad was in the air force in 1968 and got a phone call saying his father had died in Young." O'Davis said. "Dad still remembers the phone call. All we need to do is get the info about his birth in Ireland.
"If it all comes to fruition we can do some business. I'm talking to a French side as well."

Now, I haven't been following the ESL all that closely, but surely Robbie O wouldn't displace Radlinski, would he?

 

[bartman]

Somehow I think Robbie and his management might be dreaming...? The Wigan link may be player Danny Orr - I'm not sure if he's related to managers Chris and Gavin?

"I'm taking to a French side as well" shows that Robbie O's just trying whatever he can to get himself a contract somewhere, and now looking overseas. Has he played with a park side or anything since leaving Newcastle, or just been talking up his availability for a comeback in the papers all year?

 

[Frederick]

AFAIK he's been training with one of the local sides, as well as competeing in the occasional triathlon. Every now and then he'll go to the media, talking about how fit he is and he's desperate to keep playing. When he says he's talking to a French side, I'm assuming that'd be Les Catalans - who've they got signed up for fullback?

 

[bartman]

I'm pretty sure Les Catalans have said they're developing their French players and so have already closed the book on any further overseas buys. I think they have retained French rep Renauld Guigue as fullback in their squad?

It's possible Robbie O is talking with any of the clubs in the French competition, as many of them have had Australian players in the past (eg Pia Donkeys, Touluse etc).

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

Anyone could replace Radlinski. He's a like a broken down car you just can't help but keep despite the fact you know it will require replacement parts every month.

O'Davis though? After Millward moaning this week about how we need to reduce the numbers of poor foreign players in Super League.

 

[bartman]

Good point, Milward's hardly going to come out and sign another non-British player following his recent talk about changing the quotas etc.

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

Good point, Milward's hardly going to come out and sign another non-British player following his recent talk about changing the quotas etc.

ODavis has just found out his Granfdfather was from Ireland.Would he qualify as a non overseas player?

 

[bartman]

Yes, provided he can provide all the necessary proof to gain an Irish/EU passport.

Would still be hypocritical of Millward, given his statements about the need for clubs to cut players who could not represent GB&I... although if Robbie O gets his passport then technically I guess he could represent Ireland? More headaches...

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

Anyone could replace Radlinski. He's a like a broken down car you just can't help but keep despite the fact you know it will require replacement parts every month.

Yes, but when those parts are put in he's better than any other car in Great Britain. Robbie O' would require those same replacements only he's nowhere near Radlinski in terms of quality.