Dane Gagai adds to Newcastle's injury list
KNIGHTS coach Rick Stone will give in-form fullback Dane Gagai until the 11th hour to prove his fitness for Saturday’s game against Canberra at Hunter Stadium.
Gagai was left hobbling with a calf-muscle injury after his dynamic display in Sunday’s 24-20 loss to the Warriors in Auckland and could not join Newcastle’s ball-work session on Wednesday.
The elusive 24-year-old has not missed a game for the past two seasons and Stone would be loath to lose his most effective attacking weapon, especially with Jeremy Smith (sternum), Jarrod Mullen (toe), Tyrone Roberts (ankle) and Robbie Rochow (back) already on the sidelines.
‘‘He’s got a cork in the calf and we need to see him training and moving around pretty well to play on the weekend,’’ Stone said on Wednesday.
‘‘That’s a big one for us, actually. Dane’s been great for us in the last couple of weeks and again he was continually dangerous every time he got hands on the footy [against the Warriors].
‘‘Cross our fingers Dane will be all right. But we’ll sort something out if he’s not available.’’
Rookie Jake Mamo, who is yet to appear in the NRL this season, would be one option to replace Gagai, although Stone may also consider switching skipper Kurt Gidley to fullback and using versatile Tyler Randell as first receiver.
‘‘Definitely we’d give him right up until the game,’’ Stone said. ‘‘He’s a bit more of an experienced player now, Dane.
‘‘He’s had a pool session today, an off-legs day.
‘‘But hopefully he’ll be out for a run on Friday and give us some indication if he’s right for the next day.’’
Stone was confident prop Kade Snowden (neck) would recover after missing the trip to Auckland.
‘‘He’s trained pretty solidly this morning and did a bit of contact on his neck, which is good, and I’ve got no doubts about him playing,’’ he said.
Young back-rower Joseph Tapine, who has been troubled by a back problem recently, did not complete the session on Wednesday, but Stone was hopeful ‘‘a bit of physio will get him sorted out for Friday’’.
Saturday’s showdown is shaping as must-win for both teams, who have five wins apiece and are two points adrift of the top eight at the halfway point in this campaign.
With a tough draw of seven away games in their final 12 fixtures, Stone admitted the Knights desperately needed two points before they have a week off for the bye.
‘‘It’s not ideal to be where we are, particularly after the start we’ve had, and we understand that,’’ Stone said.
‘‘The first four games we probably could have won or lost each one, and there’s another four games we could have won or lost in the last few weeks.
‘‘But it’s the NRL, and we’ve got to play to our potential.
‘‘We’re not a superstar-filled side.
‘‘We need our players playing their best to get a result.’’
http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3124387/dane-gagai-adds-to-newcastles-injury-list/?cs=306
