http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/gidley-is-tahus-white-knight/story-e6frexnr-1225971159250
KNIGHTS captain Kurt Gidley has opened the door for troubled centre Timana Tahu to return to Newcastle.
Gidley said yesterday that he would welcome the dual international back to the city where he made his NRL debut in 1999.
But Gidley's potential lifeline to Tahu, who is looking for a club for the 2011 season after leaving Parramatta, comes after Newcastle coach Rick Stone virtually ruled out his club making a play for the NSW outside back last week.
"I think with Timana being the athlete that he is, it'd be nice to pull someone like that in just before Christmas or just before the season starts," Gidley said.
"I'd have no worries in taking him on board. I'll speak to Stoney [about recruiting Tahu] a bit and that sort of thing. But in the end it's a club decision, it's not the captain's decision. It's the coach's and the CEO's decision.
"If it does come up we'll talk about it then. I haven't been reading the papers. I know his family is from Newcastle but that's about as much as I know at the moment."
Gidley said Tahu's current problems should not count against him, despite a racial slur controversy hanging over his head in which Tahu allegedly racially abused a teenager at an Aboriginal tournament in October. Eels CEO Paul Osborne had hoped to bring an end to that saga last week.
Former Eels coach and Queensland State of Origin assistant coach Michael Hagan said the loss of Tahu could be just the beginning of the Eels' problems as they search for a player to make up for the losses of Krisnan Inu, Jonathan Wright, Eric Grothe and Tahu.
He said the Eels have probably left it too late to grab a quality replacement with NRL experience and are likely to have to promote a developing player from their own ranks.
"When I was there we had a heap," Hagan said. "There is a bit of a hole and there's not any of them out there in the marketplace. It's probably an issue not just for Parra but for the game, there's just not many quality backs left."
The Knights start their pre-season with a four-day camp next week in Tamworth before they break for Christmas.
The Knights' 2011 campaign begins with a return to regular training on January 3.
