Cross sees side being more than half successful
By BRETT KEEBLE
INJURED enforcer Ben Cross has targeted a 60 per cent winning record as an achievable goal for the Knights this year and one that could mean a top-four finish.
The premiership-winning former Melbourne prop is busting to join his new teammates and hopes to do that when the Knights host Brisbane at EnergyAustralia Stadium on April 13.
"I was thinking for those first five rounds, if we can get at least three out of five, it will go a long way to setting it up for us to go really well," Cross said.
"That goes for the whole season. If you break the year up into five-week blocks and we can keep getting three out of five, we should be sitting pretty well in the comp."
Last year the Warriors finished fourth with 13 wins and a draw from 24 games a tick under a 60 per cent record. The Bulldogs and Bunnies were sixth and seventh with 50 per cent, and eighth-placed Brisbane had 11 wins and 13 losses.
Cross is well down the road to recovery from pre-season surgery to pin a fractured scaphoid bone in his right wrist but has ruled himself out of the away game against the Warriors tomorrow week.
"I've got to see the surgeon on the Friday before the Auckland game, so that's definitely out, but hopefully I'll be right for Brisbane," Cross said.
* Newcastle Central Knights assistant coach Jarrod O'Doherty must feel like a teenager whose parents have given him the keys to the family car for a couple of weeks.
The former Knights back-rower and 2000 NSW Country Player of the Year is in charge of the unbeaten NSW Cup team in Auckland this weekend because coach Rick Stone stayed behind to fulfil his duties as assistant to Brian Smith for last night's NRL game at Parramatta.
O'Doherty will again call the shots when the Central Knights play Manly at Brookvale next Sunday because Stone will be with the NRL squad in Auckland for the game against the Warriors.
The Central Knights left yesterday for today's NSW Cup game against Auckland Vulcans at Henham Park, Otahuhu the old stomping ground of Cooper Vuna and former Knight George Carmont.
Chris Bailey, Matt White and Aku Uate stayed behind on stand-by for last night's NRL game against the Eels. Bailey sustained a foot injury in the Central Knights' 40-18 victory over the Bulldogs last Saturday, but X-rays have cleared him of a fracture.
Newcastle's NSW Rugby League junior rep teams take on Parramatta at The Gardens today at 3pm (Harold Matthews) and 4.30pm (SG Ball). The Knights are unbeaten in under 16s (Matthews) and have lost just once in under 18s (Ball).