Tyrone Roberts dumped to NSW Cup, future at Newcastle uncertain
- Barry Toohey
- The Daily Telegraph
- June 25, 2015 4:29PM
OUT of favour Newcastle halfback Tyrone Roberts has been dumped to the NSW Cup with his future at the club under a cloud because of the Knights’ pursuit of Bulldogs and NSW playmaker Trent Hodkinson for next season.
Roberts has recovered from an ankle ligament injury that has seen him sidelined for the past two weeks but failed to win back his top grade spot against the Broncos on Friday night.
While the club indicated he had been “ruled out” alongside backrower Jeremy Smith with his ankle injury, The Daily Telegraph understands he is almost certain to line up against Wentworthville in the Knights’ NSW Cup clash on Sunday in Sydney.
It now becomes a real test of character for Roberts, with the final year of his contract at the Knights next season also believed to be in jeopardy with Hodkinson on the club’s recruitment target list.
It is understood if Hodkinson agreed to join the Knights, the club would be forced to try and off-load Roberts to a rival to accommodate the Blues playmaker under the salary cap.
There was good news for the Knights on Thursday with Jarrod Mullen poised to return after a six week injury lay-off to partner skipper Kurt Gidley in the halves at Suncorp Stadium. Livewire Jake Mamo, who set up that remarkable try last Sunday against Cronulla, has deservedly retained his place at fullback.
Mullen, who needs surgery on a broken bone at the base of his big toe, satisfied the club’s medical staff of his fitness after getting through two training sessions this week.
He appeared to be running freely during Thursday’s session and travelled with the squad to Brisbane later in the day.
But as a precaution, Carlos Tuimavave, who was originally named at five-eighth by coach Rick Stone, also travelled with the team as insurance should there be any lingering doubt about Mullen getting through the game.
Tough backrower Smith lost his battle to prove his fitness and is now eyeing off a return from his sternum injury in a fortnight against Canberra with the Knights having the bye next weekend.
Newcastle faces a massive challenge against the table-topping Broncos in trying to improve on a disastrous record of nine losses in their past 10 games that has seen them rated the new wooden spoon favourites.
They will go into the game without three first-choice front-rowers in Kade Snowden, Dave Fa’alogo and Jack Stockwell and Smith.
New father Akuila Uate, who celebrated the birth of son Kingston (brother for Tatianna and Miriama) on Monday, admitted a real team effort would be required to cause a boilover.
“We definitely need to play as a team. Turn up and play together,” he said.
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