RL: O'Davis says Knights have snubbed former Test fullback League Knights By Daniel Pace
SYDNEY, Jan 12 AAP - Former Test fullback Robbie O'Davis says he's been snubbed by Newcastle after offering his services for free to the club for the 2005 NRL season.
O'Davis retired from rugby league at the end of last season to end a 13-year first grade career spanning 223 games for the Knights, 18 State of Origin appearances for Queensland and seven Tests for Australia.
But the 32-year-old told AAP today the Knights had rejected his offer to play for free this year if the club was going through an injury crisis.
"They've got plans well and truly beyond me," said O'Davis, who's now working as a real estate agent in Newcastle.
"I can't see a hassle but I've stood on someone's toes unfortunately."
O'Davis said he was training 3-4 hours every day in the hope of making a comeback and breaking club stalwart Tony Butterfield's record of 229 first grade appearances for the Knights.
"That's been my priority, to get the call back up from Newcastle," he said.
"They retired me, I didn't retire myself. I just couldn't leave town because of my daughter.
"If they get a few injuries in the same position I play ... they might give me another shot.
"I've still got things I want to achieve."
More than 20,000 Novocastrians turned out to watch a tearful O'Davis play his final game for the Knights - a round 26 win over Wests Tigers at EnergyAustralia Stadium in September.
Knights football manager Mark Sargent said the club had not considered recalling O'Davis this year.
"We haven't considered it because it's not something we're thinking about," Sargent said.
"He's fallen a handful of games short (of Butterfield's record) but that happens sometimes.
"Timana (Tahu) was two games short of 100 first grade games for the club."
David Seage, on the comeback from a knee reconstruction, and former NSW Origin fullback Mark Hughes are the contenders for the vacant No.1 jersey.
Meanwhile, Test hooker Danny Buderus will undergo foot surgery next week and hopes to return for Newcastle's round four clash with North Queensland in Townsville.
The Dally M Medal winner carried the troublesome foot injury into the latter part of the 2004 season and the Tri Nations series against Great Britain and New Zealand.
