D-Day arrives for Simpson and Newcastle
Thursday, September 14, 2006 - 6:29 PM
The NRL season of Steve Simpson - and perhaps Newcastle - may go on the line tomorrow morning when the representative backrower tests his injured shoulder for the first time ahead of Saturday's sudden-death semi-final against Brisbane.
The Knights, already missing Test hooker Danny Buderus to suspension, have given Simpson until game day to prove his fitness.
But the 26-year-old is adamant he will make a decision tomorrow after a rigorous fitness test, to ensure coach Michael Hagan has a settled 17-man squad for the team's final training sessions before their elimination bout at Aussie Stadium.
"I'll have a fitness test tomorrow morning, obviously if I can get through that I'll be fine to play," Simpson said.
"It would be nice for the team to be able to train with the 17 that are going to take the field a day before the game.
"I'd like to hopefully get through tomorrow's session, and be in that 17, but if not, it gives the side plenty of time to work out who's going to play and what we're going to do.
"That's why I'd like to get it over and done with tomorrow morning."
With Buderus out, the loss of another Test player in Simpson would be a major blow to the Knights' premiership charge.
Simpson said the injury, suffered in last week's qualifying final win over Manly, was improving each day.
"But in saying that it, it is still a little bit tender, so I suppose tomorrow I'll get a true indication of how it's feeling," Simpson said.
"I haven't really done anything on it this week, we'll have a little go in the morning and see how we go."
Simpson said Buderus' six-match ban, handed down at the NRL judiciary on Wednesday night, would have no bearing on his decision tomorrow morning.
"If it's no good it's no good," said Simpson.
The Knights are expecting close to 1000 fans to form a guard of honour tomorrow afternoon when the players leave Newcastle for Sydney.
A club spokesman said the Knights already had 30 busloads of fans booked to travel down to Sydney on Saturday for the match.
Thursday, September 14, 2006 - 6:29 PM
The NRL season of Steve Simpson - and perhaps Newcastle - may go on the line tomorrow morning when the representative backrower tests his injured shoulder for the first time ahead of Saturday's sudden-death semi-final against Brisbane.
The Knights, already missing Test hooker Danny Buderus to suspension, have given Simpson until game day to prove his fitness.
But the 26-year-old is adamant he will make a decision tomorrow after a rigorous fitness test, to ensure coach Michael Hagan has a settled 17-man squad for the team's final training sessions before their elimination bout at Aussie Stadium.
"I'll have a fitness test tomorrow morning, obviously if I can get through that I'll be fine to play," Simpson said.
"It would be nice for the team to be able to train with the 17 that are going to take the field a day before the game.
"I'd like to hopefully get through tomorrow's session, and be in that 17, but if not, it gives the side plenty of time to work out who's going to play and what we're going to do.
"That's why I'd like to get it over and done with tomorrow morning."
With Buderus out, the loss of another Test player in Simpson would be a major blow to the Knights' premiership charge.
Simpson said the injury, suffered in last week's qualifying final win over Manly, was improving each day.
"But in saying that it, it is still a little bit tender, so I suppose tomorrow I'll get a true indication of how it's feeling," Simpson said.
"I haven't really done anything on it this week, we'll have a little go in the morning and see how we go."
Simpson said Buderus' six-match ban, handed down at the NRL judiciary on Wednesday night, would have no bearing on his decision tomorrow morning.
"If it's no good it's no good," said Simpson.
The Knights are expecting close to 1000 fans to form a guard of honour tomorrow afternoon when the players leave Newcastle for Sydney.
A club spokesman said the Knights already had 30 busloads of fans booked to travel down to Sydney on Saturday for the match.