No end in sight for Reynoldson saga
THE Knights and discarded forward Kirk Reynoldson have set a date for a mediation session, but there is no guarantee it will provide a resolution to their contract dispute.
NRL appeals chairman Sir Laurence Street will conduct the hearing on May 22, and Knights officials hope it will end a squabble that dates back more than eight months.
But Newcastle chief executive Steve Burraston admitted yesterday there was a possibility that Sir Laurence would be unable to broker a mutually acceptable settlement.
Burraston also said that neither party had any legal obligation to abide by Sir Laurence's recommendations.
If Reynoldson, pictured, was not satisfied with the hearing, he would still have the option of taking the Knights to court or lodging an appeal with the NRL.
The back-rower was released by Newcastle at the end of last season after falling one game short of activating a retention clause for 2008. He has since joined the Dragons.
"We just believe we are in a strong position," Burraston said. "We aren't stepping away from what we have said all along there was no contract for 2008."
Robert Dillon