Wear 'n' tear: Final curtain falls on Simmo's rep career
BY BRETT KEEBLE
KNIGHTS warhorse Steve Simpson's representative career is effectively over.
One of three Newcastle players named on Sunday to represent Country Origin against City at Orange on Friday night, Simpson has an ongoing knee injury and was ruled out yesterday by Country medical staff.
Because the decision was made by Country doctors, he can play for the Knights against the Titans at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Sunday and was confident of playing in that game.
Simpson was surprised by his selection for Country as his game against Brisbane at EAS last Saturday night, in which he played 72 minutes and was one of many stand-outs in Newcastle's 28-12 victory, was his first after missing five matches with a torn hamstring.
The 29-year-old back-rower does not train with his Newcastle teammates in the early part of each week, instead conducting his own rehabilitation and maintenance program, then joining the rest of the squad for ballwork closer to game day.
That routine is acceptable for Brian Smith and the Knights' coaching and high-performance staff but not for Country coach Laurie Daley who, understandably, wants his squad together for every session if possible.
"It's always great to play for Country and it's a bit unfortunate I've missed out this time but that's the way it goes.
"I've just got to look after myself now and do what I have to do to get on the field here," Simpson said.
"It's a bit of general soreness after the game I get it after most games with a bit of a knee injury I've got. It just needs time to rest after I play each game.
"It was a case of I couldn't train with the squad, which you've got to do for those games. You've really got to get in and train with your teammates and get to know them in such a short time, and there's a running session on every day pretty much when you're away in those camps. I was unable to do that, so it's a no-brainer in the end."
Smith had nothing but praise for Simpson.
"He's given his all for Newcastle, he's done the same for rep teams, and he's got a condition in his knee now that just won't allow him to train like everyone else does," Smith said.
"If he does, he won't get to the line to play on the weekend let alone see out the season. It's a shame for him, because he loves his rep football, but they're just the cold hard facts."
Though he has not applied for exemption from representative selection a process that must be completed at least a month before the start of each season Simpson does not expect NSW selectors to pick him for the first State of Origin game in Melbourne on June 3.
NSW-eligible back-rowers Paul Gallen, Glenn Stewart, Anthony Watmough and Anthony Laffranchi were named in the Australian team for the Test against New Zealand in Brisbane on Friday night, and City's Trent Waterhouse, Luke O'Donnell and Mark Minichiello, and Country starters Alan Tongue, Andrew Ryan and Ben Creagh are also in the mix for Blues jerseys.
"That's a similar scenario I suppose. You've still got to train most days there [for NSW] as well and it's at the stage now where I really need to manage it to get on the field," he said. "You never know."
After playing all three games of the 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007 Origin series, Simpson came off the bench in game two last season in his 13th appearance for NSW. He has played seven Tests for Australia since his international debut in 2002 and represented Country in 2001 and 2005.
Dragons duo Matt Cooper (hip) and Ben Hornby (thigh) were also ruled out yesterday and selectors replaced them and Simpson with Chris Heighington (Tigers), Jamie Soward (Dragons) and Brett White (Storm).
Smith will name an extended squad today for Sunday's game against Gold Coast at EnergyAustralia Stadium to cover for Australian utility Kurt Gidley and Country Origin representatives James McManus and Jarrod Mullen.
Gidley will come off the bench in the Test against New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium on Friday and McManus and Mullen will make their debuts for Country against City at Wade Park in Orange on the same night.
Evergreen centre Adam MacDougall (calf) had an MRI scan yesterday and will learn the results today but is expected to take his place against the Titans.
Wes Naiqama (hamstring) will be assessed later in the week but, if cleared to return, could be named in the squad as insurance for McManus and MacDougall. Five-eighth Ben Rogers is still struggling with bone bruising in his knee and if he does not recover in time, utility George Ndaira is likely to retain his position as a back-up for Mullen.
Herald
