NRL 2020: Kieran Foran’s career on the line as Newcastle Knights pass on veteran
Kieran Foran’s desperate search for a new club remains in limbo as his hopes of reuniting with mate Mitchell Pearce at the Newcastle Knights appear over.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Newcastle Knights will reluctantly shut the door on Kieran Foran’s dream of teaming up with his lifelong mate Mitchell Pearce next season.
The Knights have decided as good a bargain buy as Foran represents for about $300,000, they believe they are well stocked with the players they already have on their books to fill the five-eighth role when they are at full strength.
In particular, exciting young gun Tex Hoy is a player the club has a huge hopes for, along with the ever reliable Kurt Mann.
It is another setback for Foran who is fighting to save his career after suffering a season-ending pectoral injury in the weekend loss to Gold Coast.
Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership. Every game of every round Live & On-Demand with no-ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Foran is off contract at Canterbury but has made it known he has no intention of letting this latest setback end his career.
He will be fit to return to full training by Christmas at the latest.
But it is not likely to be in Newcastle.
Hoy is expected to start at fullback this Saturday against the Sydney Roosters with Kalyn Ponga tipped to be rested after copping a bashing against Cronulla.
While Hoy can’t currently break into the top team when everyone is fit, he is the sort of player that will soon demand a spot regardless because he is one of those special talents that things just seem to happen around when he is near the ball.
And given Hoy is not going to put Ponga out of fullback any time soon, his best chance will be to challenge the likes of Mann, Mason Lino and Phoenix Crossland for the No.6 jumper long term.
It shouldn’t be forgotten Mann did an outstanding job playing alongside Pearce before the injuries to dummy halves Andrew McCullough and Connor Watson, while the outstanding Jayden Brailey will return from his knee injury next season.
There has been some strong backroom conversations going on about how well Foran would suit playing alongside Pearce, and there is no question it has piqued the Knights’ interest.
But they also want to make sure they don’t overspend on one position and run the risk of not having cap room for other areas.
MORE NEWS
‘We don’t want you here’: Tigers duo told to pack their bags
‘Never seen a player get his head attacked more than Ponga’
The recruitment of star St George Illawarra backrower Tyson Frizell has also taken a fair whack out of the money they had to spend.
Hoy, 20, is seen as a player with huge potential, and with another pre-season under his belt he should really come of age next year.
He is likely to get his chance to impress further against the reigning premiers on Saturday.
Ponga was bashed from pillar to post against Cronulla, and was due to meet with coach Adam O’Brien on Monday evening to discuss if he should play this weekend.
It would be a huge blow if he was the miss the game but the feeling is it could be for the better his long term health fitness heading into the finals to give him a break now.
Meanwhile, Newcastle will be boosted by the return of Daniel Saifiti (knee), Edrick Lee (arm) and Sione Mata’utia (ankle) for Saturday’s clash.
And there is an improving chance gun centre Bradman Best (ankle) will be back for the last round of the regular season.
Originally published as NRL 2020: Kieran Foran’s career on the line as Newcastle Knights pass on veteran