Gold Coast coach John Cartwright will wait until Sunday before deciding whether to roll the dice and play battered enforcer Nate Myles in his side’s NRL clash with Newcastle.
Myles and fellow co-captain Greg Bird trained with the Titans on Saturday morning, three days after squaring off against each other in a typically fierce State of Origin contest.
Cartwright suggested the fitness of Bird was assured, but was more uncertain about Myles’ chances of running out at Hunter Stadium.
“Birdy is 100 per cent right but Nate’s got a few bumps and bruises. We think he’ll be OK but we’ll take 18 down to Newcastle and just chat to him in the morning,” Cartwright said.
“First we’ll find out if he’s going to play and then we’ll come up with a final 17 but we’ve been training without them for the last week so there will be no surprises whether they start or come off the bench.”
The Titans’ concerns, compounded by the absence of hulking back-rower Dave Taylor due to a sternum injury, are in stark contrast to the Knights’ fit-again stocks ahead of the Hunter Stadium clash.
Winger Akuila Uate returned from a rib injury in their last-start 16-14 loss to Melbourne, and utility Beau Scott will turn out for his third game back since groin surgery.
Veteran Danny Buderus (back) will play for the first time since round four on Sunday, while Darius Boyd has almost fully recovered from an ankle injury sustained on May 26 that had him in doubt for Origin I.
“It is nearly there and is still a little bit sore and stiff some days,” the Knights fullback told the club website.
“It is so much better than what it was and I will keep getting more treatment and it will get there in the next few weeks I am sure.”
Bird admitted the visitors faced a stern challenge on Sunday, with Boyd full of confidence after scoring a double in Origin II and Newcastle’s aces mostly back on the park.
“It’s probably the strongest team they’ve fielded this year with Beau Scott and Bedsy (Danny Buderus) and a few others back, so they’re going to be tough at home,” Bird said.
The Knights thumped the Titans 30-6 on the Gold Coast in round seven.
