Press conference tomorrow? Possible new signing

[antonius]

From the Knights website.

Former Waratah Joins Knights


Wednesday, April 20, 2005 - Newcastle Knights


The Knights have today announced that exciting former Super 12 player Milton Thaiday has signed a contract with the club for the remainder of the 2005 season.

Thaiday, 25, who has been playing for the Ballina Seagulls in the Northern Rivers competition made his Super 12 debut in 2003 after playing only one game of Rugby Union.

He will play Premier League for the Knights this Sunday at EnergyAustralia Stadium.

Speaking today, Thaiday said he was excited about playing at the NRL level.

“I’m very grateful to the Knights for giving me this opportunity and I hope I can make the most of it,” he said.

“I’ve played rugby league virtually all my life and to have the chance to play alongside Andrew Johns holds enormous appeal for me.”

“I’ve really enjoyed my time back at Ballina and I reckon Newcastle will be a great place to bring my family and enjoy my football.”

“I’ll meet the rest of the boys at training for the first time tomorrow and I can’t wait to get out on the field on Sunday.”

http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/absolutenm/templates/mediareleases.asp?articleid=548&zoneid=1

So It seems he's actually only signed for the 2005 season, most reports claim it's a two year deal.

 

[General Knight]

Gees sounds like we have a whole bunch of backs now.
Seage
Cooper
Quinn
Hughes
Tighe
Hall
Carmont
Gidley
Salkeld
Thaiday
and the other guys in PL

I wonder where will they all play? Im pretty sure we are bound to lose some of them to other clubs. I just hope Knights management can keep the right ones.

 

[RABK]

Our side, fingers crossed by July [-o&lt, post: [-o&lt, member: [-o<

1. David Seage
2. Milton Thaiday
3. Matthew Gidley
4. Brad Tighe
5. Dustin Cooper
6. Kurt Gidley
7. Andrew Johns
8. Craig Smith
9. Danny Buderus
10. Luke Davico (if he is fit)
11. Steve Simpson
12. Clint Newton
13. Kirk Reynoldson

14. Josh Perry
15. Adam Woolnough
16. Todd Lowrie
17. Craig Hall[/quote"]

Switch Hall for Riley Brown and that's a premiership team. By the time we get that team on the park it will probally be a little to late. :x

 

[Danish Moo Cow]

Sorry I got the name wrong. I guess it would've saved a lot of this thread, but we needed the head's up.

I'm glad people are finding this signing a breath of fresh air in much needed time. I've never watched the guy play, so I'll have to keep an eye on him this weekend. I'll be looking forward to it.

 

[northey]

Knights sign ex-Waratah Thaiday

April 20, 2005 - 5:34PM

www.smh.com.com
Newcastle's injury-depleted playing stocks have received a timely boost with former NSW Super 12 winger Milton Thaiday joining the NRL cellar-dwellers for the rest of the season.

Without a win and ravaged by injury, Newcastle will welcome Thaiday's arrival especially with outside backs Craig Hall (knee), Anthony Quinn (shoulder) and David Seage (knee) still on the sidelines.

Thaiday said returning to his original code would provide him with the opportunity to fulfill a childhood dream.

"Before I went to union, getting to the top level of league was my biggest dream," Thaiday said.

"It was there, it was one thing I wanted to pursue and I grabbed it straight away.

"I took it with open arms ... it's probably the best move I did, not only for myself but for my family as well."

Newcastle coach Michael Hagan said it was a great boost to the club to be able to bring in someone with the obvious ability that Thaiday possesses.

"The reports of Milton's form and talent have been very strong in the last few weeks," Hagan said.

"I think in view of the fact we have a couple of outside backs unavailable, there is a tremendous opportunity for Milton and for our club moving forward."

Thaiday, 25, who had been playing for the Ballina Seagulls in the Northern Rivers competition, made his Super 12 debut in 2003 after playing only one game of rugby union.

He will play against the Bulldogs in Premier League at EnergyAustralia Stadium this Sunday.

Thaiday said the similarities of the league communities of his hometown Townsville and Newcastle made the decision to join the Novacastrians an easy one.

"I was there for the first game, so it brings back memories of Townsville," Thaiday said.

"This is a new beginning for myself and my family. What's happened in the past has to stay there, otherwise you can't move forward.

"I grew up rugby league and I think things will fall into place as the weeks go on. It won't be that hard."

The Knights have already received great value from their other mid-season signing, prop forward Craig Smith.

The former St George Illawarra and Wigan front rower was brought in to cover for injures in the forwards, and has quickly made his presence felt on and off the field.

"From the club's point of view it is good that we can actually bring some players into the club at the moment," Hagan said.

 

[roopy]

I don't think we can expect too much from him at first.
The guy spent 3 months in rehab and has been playing for a Country side.
It will probably take him a month or so to start to get fit enough to even think about firstgrade.

 

[aqua_duck]

Milton is a very exciting player and unlike all of our other outside backs he's got speed and footwork, my only question is on attitude.

 

[macavity]

well lets hope the attitude problem is in the past.

its pretty obvious the club already has enough bad attitudes....

 

[Danish Moo Cow]

...and drinkers.

He's on a two-year contract. So we've obviously got some sort of plan for him. It isn't simply a spot-filling exercise. I'm not going to say he'll save the backline without seeing him though.

 

[Alex28]

Only signed for this year - not for 2 years...

 

[Danish Moo Cow]

My mistake. I'm sure I heard it on an NBN update earlier. No worries.

 

[Ben]

it will be better with the one so we can analyse his performances at the end of the year and we can choose betweeen the cut or re-sign

 

[eddo]

He'll be good at Centre in respect that he can actually tackle, as opposed to the current Centres...

What!!! a union bloke that can tackle.... I'd like to see that.

 

[Grantwhy]

well lets hope the attitude problem is in the past.

its pretty obvious the club already has enough bad attitudes....

...and drinkers.

He's on a two-year contract. So we've obviously got some sort of plan for him. It isn't simply a spot-filling exercise. I'm not going to say he'll save the backline without seeing him though.

If the reports are correct and he's gone to AA [or something similar] then that might indicate a good attitude. Willingness to admit a problem and to take action to correct it^. If he can keep it going then I wouldn't be overly concerned about his attitude.





^ something that (said mostly in jest) the Knights board is haveing trouble doing?