Tolar tackles opportunity to put hard knocks behind him
BY NEIL GOFFET
TONIGHT'S trial game against Penrith presents the perfect opportunity for luckless Knights forward Dan Tolar to restore some belief in himself and push for a place in the 17-man squad.
Tolar went through hell last year as he battled infections and repercussions of an operation to repair his fractured right kneecap, which he suffered in the opening game of the season against the Titans.
The tough-nut front-rower went down in the first half of the match and his only other contribution for the remainder of 2009 was a game for Central Charlestown in the Newcastle Rugby League.
The initial diagnosis was eight weeks out but he suffered a low-grade staph infection around his patella tendon that ended his season.
"He had a really tough year, it tested him mentally, that's for sure," Knights coach Rick Stone said yesterday.
"He got hurt in the first 20 minutes of the first comp game and then all the complications that went with it and he missed a whole year basically.
"It's troubled him right through the pre-season this year as well, so it's been about a 10-month battle for Dan."
Tolar did not play in the Knights' first trial game against Nelson Bay and the Newcastle representative side at Tomaree Oval, in Port Stephens, two weeks ago.
Instead he made his comeback last Saturday night in a trial game against a second-string Melbourne side that included several players from their National Youth Competition side.
"That was pretty much my first game back, so it was good to get some confidence out of that," Tolar said. "I was a bit nervous last week but my knee was fine and I got through the game pretty well.
"My fitness is not 100 per cent but I'm hoping to be in the 17 for the first game of the season and I'll certainly be pushing for a starting spot."
Penrith have quality forwards who will test Tolar, such as Test prop Petero Civoniceva, Kiwi international Frank Pritchard, Trent Waterhouse and Frank Puletua.
"This will be the quality and the intensity that we're looking for," Stone said.
"This will be what we're going to expect in the first competition round, so it will be a good gauge for a lot of people."
Ben Cross and Evarn Tuimavave are scheduled to be the starting front-rowers tonight and Tolar and Mark Taufua are listed to play from the bench.
"Stoney said he will try give us all about 40 minutes each and there's a healthy competition for front-row spots at the moment," Tolar said.
"We've got a few guys fighting for the four spots and Richie [Fa'aoso] is out injured at the moment, so there's going to be a lot of competition.
Herald
