Kurt Gidley moves into halves after struggling at hooker
AS he prepares to partner Jarrod Mullen in the halves against North Queensland at Hunter Stadium on Monday, Knights captain Kurt Gidley believes his days as a full-time hooker are over.
After starting at fullback against the Roosters and hooker against the Tigers in Newcastles past two losses, Gidley will play his third position in as many matches as the Knights try to end a seven-game losing streak against a Cowboys side chasing their first away win this season.
Desperate to find a winning combination, Newcastle coach Wayne Bennett has promoted Adam Clydsdale to replace Gidley at dummy-half and dropped Tyrone Roberts, who has started every game this season at halfback, to the bench.
Wayne and I looked at each other in the eye after training on Wednesday and I think we both knew that I had a bigger impact in the game last week at fullback than Ive had at hooker all year, Gidley said after training yesterday.
When former Test hooker Danny Buderus retired at the end of last season, Gidley was expected to finish his career as Newcastles No.9, but the 32-year-old skipper conceded yesterday that the experiment had failed.
Ive played there sporadically in rep teams, but I knew my role there would only be for a short period of time through the Aussie team, Origin, and even Country, so I knew my role then was just to be enthusiastic and get out of dummy-half quick, he said.
But when youre 31 and you move to hooker for a permanent role, its a pretty big adjustment on your career, and its certainly a position that you need to get used to, and you need to have been playing hooker as a kid.
Weve tried it this year and it probably hasnt worked. It probably hasnt worked for the team, and it probably hasnt worked for my game personally. I dont think Ive been playing as good a footy as I could have been because Ive been at hooker.
Ive been defending well there. Line speed is a huge part of a footy team and the hooker is a big part of that, and theres kick pressure, but those three roles, thats all I feel like Ive been doing.
I havent been carrying the ball as much as what Id like to, so yeah, it was a tough adjustment and it probably hasnt worked for the team.
Filling in for Darius Boyd in Newcastles 29-12 loss to the Roosters nine days ago, Gidley ran 16 times for 102 metres and made 14 tackles. Those were season highs for runs and metres and a season low for tackles.
Ive played all over the place throughout my career, and I thought I was going to be hooker all of this year, but personally, I dont think thats where the team gets the most out of me, he said.
So Im moving into the halves with Mullo this week, and at least Ill be buzzing around the ball, get my hands on the footy and be able to run the ball, which is one of my best strengths, just carrying the ball.
When youre at hooker, you can motivate guys, but youre not behind them. Youre in front of the play all the time, and a big part of my game is communication with the boys and trying to motivate guys, and you can do that best when youre standing behind them.
If youre playing in the halves or fullback, you can do that, and you can also get some carries.
Gidley hoped to finish the season in the halves but said that would be determined by the result tonight.
Well probably be able to answer that on Tuesday, but I really hope it is. Ive played in the halves at different times in my career, and probably over the past couple of seasons, he said.
Has it worked? Well, it probably hasnt, because thats why I moved to hooker, but Ill do everything I can to make it work this game, and for the rest of the year.
Prop David Faalogo has been ruled out after straining his back in the gym last week and Bennett is deliberating between Korbin Sims and Chris Houston to start.
Cowboys skipper Johnathan Thurston has been treated for a corked thigh from Origin II but is expected to play.
The visitors have lost Maroons centre Brent Tate (knee) and prop Matt Scott (fractured eye socket) to long-term injuries. Coach Paul Green has promoted Curtis Rona for Tate, and added forwards Sam Hoare and John Asiata to the bench.
The Knights have won just one of five at home this year, and two of their past nine stretching back to last June.
