TOOHEY'S NEWS: Tex Hoy set to take up marshal arts as part of left-field preparations for five-eighth tilt next season

Let's call it 'Project Tex'.

'Project Tex' is why coach Adam O'Brien has put a red line through the likes of veterans Keiran Foran and Benji Marshall and is not even entertaining throwing a career life-line to Jarrod Mullen.

While the Knights remain in the market to strength their halves stocks if the right player becomes available, the consensus within the club is there is no point developing young talent if you continue to bring in players from outside over the top of them. Eventually, you'll lose them to a rival club.

It's why O'Brien is prepared to back himself to have Tex Hoy ready, after another full pre-season, to take the step-up into the NRL on a fulltime basis in 2021. Same with Phoenix Crossland.

Both have dipped their toe in this season with Hoy deputising at fullback for Kalyn Ponga before being used as a utility off the bench on another six occasions. Crossland has come off the bench six times in the top grade, mostly as a back-up hooker.

Fans have questioned why Hoy hasn't been given a chance as a starting five-eighth already with the likes of club legend Andrew Johns heavily pushing his barrow.

But O'Brien hasn't rushed him. He recognises the X-factor value of Hoy in attack but wants another full pre-season with him training at six to advance him more. And he is even thinking outside the square when it comes to Hoy's development.

O'Brien has spoken to the 20-year-old about taking up a martial arts course to enhance his defensive techniques and contact. It's the area of Hoy's game where most of the question marks remain.

To his credit, Hoy embraced the idea when it was first brought up and he was all set to throw himself into some jiu-jitsu classes when the pandemic struck and lockdown followed.

The plan was put on hold but once this season is over and the bubble lifted, expect him to go ahead. There is no question Hoy has the flair with the footy to become the perfect foil for Pearce and it's easy to envisage him sharing a great connection with house mate Ponga as well.

Crossland is a natural playmaker and clearly another option while Kurt Mann and Connor Watson will be vying for spots in the squad somewhere with Jayden Brailey back on deck at hooker.

He might enjoy a strong friendship with Adam O'Brien from their Melbourne days but not everyone in the Knights camp is sold on the idea of ex-Broncos coach Anthony Seibold moving to Newcastle in an assistant's role if David Furner departs at the end of the season.

Knights players speak in glowing terms of Furner but even if he misses out on the top job at the Dragons as expected, he is still likely to return to Sydney at the end of the season for family reasons. He has been heavily linked to the assistant's job at the Bulldogs.

We tossed Seibold up last weekend as a potential replacement but there are those at the club who believe bringing him in after what he has been through at the Broncos would be a bad move.

The thought is he needs a decent break away from the game for his own well-being and on top of that, would be far too big of a media distraction for the club leading into the 2021 season.

It's not hard to understand the Knights' lukewarm response to questions this week surrounding Jarrod Mullen and him wanting to resurrect his NRL career when his drug ban ends on January 16.

The odds of him making a successful comeback at the top level next year are the other side of remote at 34 after four years out. But while it won't be as a player, you'd like to think the club will do everything in its power to entice him back into the fold in some form given his history with the club.

Someone needs to reach out to him. If not an official, the Old Boys need to drive it. Four years in exile is long enough.

It's nice to hear highly regarded Newcastle sports medico Neil Halpin is up and about and ready to return to work after spending three weeks in St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney following a serious heart-related operation.

Halpin, who has been heavily involved with both the Knights and the Jets over the past 25 years, underwent recent surgery to treat a dilated aorta. The 5 hour operation has a 1 percent mortality rate but he came through it fine and is nearly back to full health.

Among his visitors in hospital was Knights legend Andrew Johns with the pair still sharing of close relationship.

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