De Gois has extra time to prove fitness for Sharks clash
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De Gois has extra time to prove fitness for Sharks clash
BY BRETT KEEBLE
03 Jul, 2010 12:00 AM
KNIGHTS coach Rick Stone is not convinced hooker Isaac De Gois will be ready to return from a broken hand against Cronulla at EnergyAustralia Stadium tomorrow week.
De Gois fractured a small bone in the back of his right hand tackling Justin Poore in Newcastle's 6-4 victory over Parramatta at EAS on Monday of last week and missed their 24-16 win against Gold Coast at Skilled Park six days later.
The 25-year-old former Sharks dummy half had hoped to play against the Titans with the aid of a painkilling injection but, because the Knights have a bye this weekend, he was ruled out and given a fortnight to recover in time to play against his old club.
"As long as he's back doing some skills stuff early in the week, I'm hopeful Isaac will be ready. But I'm not going to really test him out until later on next week," Stone said.
"We might test it with a needle again or even leave it until game day and carry an 18th man.
"We'll give Isaac every possible hope of playing because we feel he's an important part of our team, and if he plays, we'll be better off for it."
De Gois wore a protective guard on his hand at training yesterday and did not participate in any significant on-field activities but said he would rejoin his teammates on Tuesday.
He was confident of playing against the Sharks but, after Matt Hilder's impressive performance deputising against the Titans last Sunday, De Gois is taking nothing for granted.
"Trouble [Hilder] is a great player and obviously he can play in the back row or at hooker, which makes him such a valuable player to our team," De Gois said.
"Obviously I'll have to work hard to try to get my spot back, and hopefully I can be back next Sunday.
"We've had two good wins and the bye this weekend, so hopefully we can string a few more wins together and go on and make the semis, then it's a whole new ball game once you do that.
"I didn't think it was too far away, getting back-to-back wins for us, and now that we've done that, a fair bit of confidence came out of it, and hopefully we can kick on against the Sharks.
"They had a great win against the Cowboys last week and every game they play, they're very competitive, so we've obviously got to be on the ball next week."
Stone said the anticipated return of captain Kurt Gidley from NSW Origin duty next Wednesday, and the availability of Cowboys recruit Antonio Kaufusi, would give him a strong squad to pick from.
The coach said Kaufusi looked the goods in his first two training runs yesterday and Thursday.
? Former Knights assistant coach Trent Robinson has been appointed head coach of French-based English Super League club Catalans Dragons for the next three years.
Robinson, who followed former Knights coach Brian Smith to the Roosters at the end of last season to continue his education as one of Smith's assistants, will relocate to Perpignan at the end of the NRL season to replace Kevin Walters at the Dragons.