The Newcastle Knights proposed new $20 million centre of excellence has lost a storey and won't be as palatial as was first envisaged with facilities scaled back somewhat after original tenders blew out the budget.
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But the project is still going ahead as expected with a revised development application and plans currently before Newcastle City Council.
Hopes of a 2020 completion date for the centre have been blown out of the water, mainly by COVID-19, and we hear there may be an issue with the latest plans from the adjacent Rescue Helicopter Service at Broadmeadow that may further delay the start of construction.
Guerra celebrated
In a nice touch, ex-Sydney Roosters teammates Boyd Cordner, Jake Friend and Braith Anasta and ex-Maroons coaches Mal Meninga and Michael Hagan were among those who left video messages in a tribute to Knights backrower Aidan Guerra during a presentation ahead of his 200th NRL game today.
The presentation was made prior to the Knights captain's run at McDonald Jones Stadium yesterday. It was Anasta's couch that Guerra slept on for several weeks when he opted to leave Melbourne Storm to sign with the Roosters.
We reckon James Maloney came up with one of the better sledges involving Guerra.
Guerra made his Origin debut for Queensland in game one in 2014, the year NSW won the series, ending an eight year winning streak.
"Jimmy Maloney said to me that I single-handedly managed to end the Maroons' Origin winning streak that year," Guerra said. "He was into me because he reckoned I was just about the only change to the team from the year before."
Guru's faith rewarded
Canberra Raiders' huge upset win over the Sydney Roosters in their grandfinal rematch on Thursday night brought a big smile to the face of their recruitment guru Peter Mulholland, who is currently battling cancer.
But it wasn't just the against-the-odds triumph that left the former Knights recruitment boss in raptures.
It was Mulholland who had enough belief in ex-Knights hooker Tom Starling to throw him a career lifeline at the end of 2018 when many in the game, including ex-Knights coach Nathan Brown, thought he was too small to make it in the NRL.
The Knights didn't re-sign him after he made his NRL debut off the bench against the Dragons at the end of 2018.
Mulholland, the best recruiter in the game, saw enough in Starling to give him another crack and he repaid the faith with an outstanding performance off the bench against the Roosters.
Nothing to chance
Knights coach Adam O'Brien is an early riser at the best of times and his reputation for being a workaholic who leaves nothing to chance has been apparent to his staff and players since he first arrived in Newcastle.
He's normally clocked on at the club's Mayfield headquarters by 5.30 am most days but this week, following the loss to Parramatta, we're told he was in at 3.30 am on two mornings, painstakingly going through and cutting up footage for team meetings and video reviews.
Knights fans will be hoping he found some early morning answers to the side's recent attacking woes.
Crossland on radar
It might take an injury or two for him to get his chance but Phoenix Crossland's efforts in a 50 minute lower grade scrimmage against the Eels last Sunday before the main game at McDonald Jones Stadium showed why Adam O'Brien won't hesitate to throw him in if need be at some stage this season.
Crossland has build up in size since making his NRL debut off the bench last season and his bravery in defence, in particular, would have caught the eye of Knights coaches watching intently from the sideline.
He currently has Kurt Mann and Tex Hoy ahead of him for the five-eighth spot.
Glasby facing medical retirement
Tim Glasby's playing future is under a serious cloud with the veteran Knights forward staring down the possibility of being forced to medically retire following a spate of concussions that have left him struggling to get back on the field.
In just seven games this season, Glasby has been forced off the field four times after suffering heads knocks with his latest concussion coming 21 minutes into the clash against North Queensland in Townsville three weeks ago.
The former Queensland Origin forward has not played since failing his HIA in that game, missing matches against Manly, Parramatta and today's clash with South Sydney. A couple of his concussions appeared to have come from fairly innocuous contact in tackles.
Officially, he is out indefinitely and is currently under the care of Professor Chris Levi at the Sports Concussion Clinic at John Hunter Hospital.
Knights coach Adam O'Brien refused to speculate on Glasby's future when we brought it up with him this week, declaring he is no medical expert.
"I'll ultimately be guided by Tim and Chris on this one," he said.
But in a extremely worrying sign, O'Brien admitted the 31-year-old is still symptomatic, three weeks after his last concussion.
"It's not something you muck around with," he said. "Tim's a husband and father first and foremost and his health comes first. Playing footy is secondary to that."
Glasby, who has played 138 NRL games, 110 for Melbourne and 28 for the Knights, over eight seasons, still has a year to go run his current contract.
There is the strong likelihood he would be medically retired if his condition forces him to give the game away.
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