Second chances - Danny Wicks

[Bring it home Knights]

Personally I'd be happy with him here as I've always rated his ability. However I think it will be a 100 to 1 shot. I think the poor PR it will involve having Wicks, Gidley and Houston in the same team would be too much for management to want to fathom. Plus management will be worried how it may effect gaining and keeping sponsors. I can see the media getting on the teams case, leading to the knights being looked at negatively. The club has tried very hard to be seen in a good light after the
Andrew Johns and Danny Wicks situations and by getting Wicks back, it will undo some of the good work that has been done.

 

[RHCP]

I don't see why he doesn't deserve a second chance. He sold a couple of pills, he didn't kill anybody.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

If nothing else i think this would be a good PR move....

Sure he hurt the brand when he was convicted, but to have this same guy, sorry for what he did, come back for a shot at redemption would be a good end to the story.

Nothing he can say in a newspaper will fix what happened, but if he was to come back and work his way up from reserves, the club publicly forgive him, in think it would go a long way for the clubs goodwill image...

Edit: even if they never let him back into first grade, bringing him into reserves positions the NRL as a place for redemption (like a church thats not big headed.)

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Due to playing ability?

Yep. He has been out for 2 years. To play first grade he would have to make significnant inroads on our forward pecking order as well as the pecking order for the younger guys coming through. He has
Zero chance. By all means give him a go, will be lucky to secure a nsw cup spot

 

[Yosh]

It's easy to look at players as objects or chess pieces but it's someone's life we're talking about here. People make mistakes and he had done the time.

He seems fit, really motivated and he'll be willing to sign on peanuts. He's only 28 and he's been out of the game for 4 years, he'll probably be 26 physically. I'd go a step further and go out of our way to sign him.

At worst he won't be able to play at a high enough level and will probably be off the radar by then.

 

[aqua_duck]

Yep. He has been out for 2 years. To play first grade he would have to make significnant inroads on our forward pecking order as well as the pecking order for the younger guys coming through. He has
Zero chance. By all means give him a go, will be lucky to secure a nsw cup spot

What pecking order? As of now we have one prop on the books next year with 1st grade experience

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

What pecking order? As of now we have one prop on the books next year with 1st grade experience

Im not talking about props, i am just talking about all forwards in general. Wicks appears to have slimmed/leaned down a lot albeit looks more muscular.. If he has been out for 4 years he is not going to just come back and play the toughest position on the field.

Rnb11 says we are going to be picking up a prop this season and a few more next season. So he wont be able to break into the squad. But as I said, give him a crack.

 

[perverse]

Well that's the thing - the worst you're gonna get is a bloke who isn't good enough for first grade on minimum wage. Shit, we could probably have him here outside the top 25 on match payments just to see how he goes. A bloke with talent and a point to prove is worth having a look at, regardless of his time away from the game imo. He's still young enough to have a few good years at least... and his body should be in top nick.

He was a natural footy player back in the day, I doubt he's just forgotten how to play.

Even if we do pick up a few props, we're losing a few at the end of the year too. There wouldn't be that much in front of him if he was good enough. If he's not good enough - nothing is really lost.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

yeah I am all for giving him a go. And I will eat my words if he makes it and if he does, good for us.

 

[eozsmiles]

I'm all for rehabilitation and redemption so it would be good on a couple of levels if he could get a footy career going again.

But not in Newcastle. I'm not sure he wants to come here anyway. Last time he lived here he ended up in the nick.

He's got Storm/Manly written all over him. Talent, experienced, comes cheap. Just needs a polish and a disciplined environment.

 

[Knight Vision]

I don't see why he doesn't deserve a second chance. He sold a couple of pills, he didn't kill anybody.

indeed. It's not a big deal.

 

[slotmachine]

Four and a half years since he played, would probably struggle in the real nrl

 

[Rod]

The media plays it however they think will make the best stories. Manu Mau and Suaia Matangi both spent decent amounts of time in prison and there doesn't seem to be much ill will directed their way.

I'd take the punt.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

It's easy to look at players as objects or chess pieces but it's someone's life we're talking about here. People make mistakes and he had done the time.

He seems fit, really motivated and he'll be willing to sign on peanuts. He's only 28 and he's been out of the game for 4 years, he'll probably be 26 physically. I'd go a step further and go out of our way to sign him.

At worst he won't be able to play at a high enough level and will probably be off the radar by then.

Players in that time due to ever better training and such are even bigger and stronger, would a big lanky fat boy even cut it anymore?

Players like Hargreaves would kill him if they put a shot on him.

 

[perverse]

Players in that time due to ever better training and such are even bigger and stronger, would a big lanky fat boy even cut it anymore?

Players like Hargreaves would kill him if they put a shot on him.

Did you even read the article? He's sitting at 106kg of what looks like mostly muscle. Put an off season of first grade training into him and he'd be plenty big and strong enough.

If you don't want the guy, that's fine. Why don't you just say that rather than making up shit that doesn't make sense? Regardless, if you haven't noticed yet - the speed of the game this year is lending itself to more mobile, rangy forwards.

... and just as another note - who is it in the NRL that Hargreaves can't smash into oblivion? The dude is an absolutely massive weapon.

 

[RHCP]

He looks fitter than he ever did while he was playing for us.

 

[Jono078]

He's looking unreal. As someone else said, I'd be annoyed for him to go to another club and kill it. He's a talent, I love his abilities and would welcome him back for sure.

 

[Nuffy]

He's looking unreal. As someone else said, I'd be annoyed for him to go to another club and kill it. He's a talent, I love his abilities and would welcome him back for sure.

Not sure that's an accurate reflection of his footy potential moving forward. He would need a massive offseason and probably a season in NSW cup before you knew whether he could offer anything.

I'm all for redemption but I am not sure we need to drama and bad publicity associated with getting him back on the paddock.

 

[Jono078]

Not sure that's an accurate reflection of his footy potential moving forward. He would need a massive offseason and probably a season in NSW cup before you knew whether he could offer anything.

I'm all for redemption but I am not sure we need to drama and bad publicity associated with getting him back on the paddock.

I was a huge fan of his potential and I believe we only got a glimpse of it when he wasn't even in great physical condition. To me this show he has focused hard on trying to achieve something. I really feel if he came back he'd be a rep player at the end of the year.

 

[perverse]

I just think we're really letting one get away if we don't pick him up. The worst that can happen is that he warms the bench for NSW cup. Looks motivated and ready to give something back, and had all the talent in the world. Hardly worried about him physically, George Rose played first grade up until recently ffs.