Knights’ young spine prepared to shoulder load without Mitchell Pearce
THE sudden loss of key playmaker Mitchell Pearce has Slade Griffin on alert to step up and take more control in directing the Knights.
Knights
Don't miss out on the headlines from Knights. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE sudden loss of key playmaker Mitchell Pearce has Slade Griffin on alert to step up and take more control in directing the Knights.
Newcastle’s spine will take a fresher look from this weekend with Connor Watson likely to be called up to take Pearce’s place, with Brock Lamb another option for coach Nathan Brown.
HERO TO VILLAIN: How SKD became a match-winner
RD 8 TEAMS: Johnson ruled out for Warriors
Though both players have at least 30 first grade games’ experience, being eight years Pearce’s junior, the selection of either one will knock two years off the spine’s average age.
At 27, Griffin — who arrived at Newcastle this year after serving his apprenticeship under Cameron Smith at the Storm — knows he needs to take on more responsibility while Pearce is sidelined for around three months with a pectoral injury.
“We’ve been pretty reliant on what Mitchell’s given us so far so it’s going to be on the forwards and the key players like me and Kalyn (Ponga) to step up again,” Griffin said.
“Something I’ve been trying to help Mitch out with is game managing.
“I’ll probably have to (take more control), being the older head out there in the spine now. But we have a lot of good forwards as well, Mitch Barnett and Jamie Buhrer are really good talkers.”
Griffin was impressed with the performance of rookie Jack Cogger in last weekend’s last-gasp win over Wests Tigers.
Cogger was called in to the side after Brown decided to give Lamb time in reserve grade to work on his game.
He played with confidence, which impressed his teammates.
“I’m actually really confident in ‘Coggs’ (Jack Cogger), he’s a really good voice out there, even though he hasn’t played a lot of first grade he’s played halfback his whole life and he knows how to play the position,” Griffin said.
“He’s not scared to boss the boys around which is very pleasing.”
Edge forward Aidan Guerra also backed Cogger, who played just his ninth NRL match last weekend.
Guerra, who has played his entire career with Pearce, said the competition for the five-eighth position this season means all contenders will be ready to snare that starting spot.
“Jack Cogger did a pretty good job on the weekend, I was playing inside him. I think he stood up,” he said.
“Not too sure how far away Connor Watson is but I think there’s been a tussle for that second position since the start of pre-season or since Pearcey arrived.
“To have three players to choose from for two positions is a good position for Browny to be in, in what is a pretty unfortunate situation.”