NRL NEWS: Duo join Knights for 2023, V'landys weighs in on Yeo concussion, Latrell, Papi in NSW sights

Newcastle Knights have announced two key signings for 2023, landing the signatures of Canberra forward Adam Elliott and Bulldogs enforcer Jack Hetherington.

Elliott had been widely expected to sign – his partner, NSW Blues star Millie Boyle recently joined the Knights’ NRLW side – but Hetherington was more of a surprise. His contract was up but he has missed most of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

The pair previously played together at the Bulldogs, before Elliott left last season after an off-field incident involving Boyle.

“Both players will be a welcome addition to our club next season,” said Danny Buderus, football manager at the Knights.

“They bring versatility, leg speed and strong physical presence to our pack, which are key attributes and skillsets for the modern game.

“They share a hard-working attitude and a will to win, they both compete in every moment and that’s a great fit for the Newcastle Knights.”

ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys claims the right process was followed when Isaah Yeo copped a head knock in the opening minute of Origin I but the Blues lock should have come off.

Yeo has been ruled out of Penrith’s clash with the Knights in Newcastle on Sunday and there were questions raised about the consistency of the NRL’s new concussion protocols because he was allowed to stay on the field despite stumbling after a heavy collision with Maroons prop Josh Papalii.

“Yes, I think he should have come off,” V’landys said on 2GB on Friday.

“We’ve got an independent doctor in the bunker, they make the judgement. I’m not a doctor, but he immediately let the trainer know on the field, the trainer did do an assessment and he believed that he didn’t need to come off.

“But looking at the vision it’s quite obvious he should have come off, in my view. You’ve got to remember that we introduced this, this year, putting an independent doctor in the bunker to make these decisions. They followed the correct processes, they assessed him again at half-time and he showed no symptoms.”

The independent doctor assessed Yeo as a a “category three” which requires an additional check from the trainer.

“They’ve got all the different angles of all the cameras. They will see it much quicker than what you could see it live and that’s why we introduced the initiative. We’re very serious about concussion and the welfare of the player. Our actions in the last two years have shown that. We don’t tolerate hits to the head,” V’landys added.

“The welfare of the player is paramount to us.”

(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Blues looking at Latrell, Papenhuyzen

The Blues are considering rushing Latrell Mitchell and Ryan Papenhuyzen back into the line-up for Origin II in Perth despite both players having little or possibly no recent game time under their belt.

NSW selector Greg Alexander said on NRL 360 on Thursday night that he and coach Brad Fittler would consider all options to revamp the line-up for the June 26 rematch at Perth’s Optus Stadium but indicated they would not be making wholesale changes in the wake of Wednesday night’s 16-10 upset loss in Sydney.

Papenhuyzen is on track to return from more than a month out for Melbourne next week after overcoming knee and hamstring problems and would shape as an excellent bench utility option for NSW.

Mitchell has not played since Round 5 due to a major hamstring problem which led him to travel to the United States to receive specialist treatment.

He had hoped to return to the field for Souths this Saturday against the Gold Coast but he contracted COVID-19 and is now unlikely to play against the Dragons next Thursday, the last chance to have a run before the Blues announce their squad for game two.

(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

“We have spoken about players that we think we might need,” Alexander said. “Of course, Latrell, he probably won’t play a game before the side is picked. Freddy will have a conversation with [Rabbitohs physio] Travis Touma and South Sydney and Latrell to see exactly where he is but there is still two rounds of footy to go.

“He won’t play in either of those. Papenhuyzen might be back. There won’t be wholesale changes. There won’t be massive changes.

“There might be a couple of tweaks where we think that we might need something that we just didn’t have last night.”

Debutant duo Kotoni Staggs, who went off early in the second half with a shoulder injury, and bench utility Stephen Crichton, who replaced him at centre, would be the two most likely candidates to miss out on game two if the Blues go with Mitchell and Papenhuyzen.

Former Blues five-eighth Matty Johns said he would be getting Mitchell back into the line-up, as well as Papenhuyzen.

“Latrell, he gets through the game, he’s a must, you have to pick him,” Johns said on SEN Radio.

“Even if he’s not 100 per cent, it’s the impact he’s got and the presence he’s got on the field.

“All of these Queensland guys on the field … they’ll be going, ‘Latrell Mitchell is back in the side’. Blokes like that, you’ve just got to put your champions in.”

(Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Holbrook doesn’t fear axe at Titans

Justin Holbrook says he doesn’t fear the threat of becoming the fourth NRL coach to be relieved of his duties as the Gold Coast aim to arrest an ugly run of form.

Holbrook’s side host South Sydney on Saturday aiming to take the heat off their head coach after a worrying slide that has brought his future under the microscope.

Earlier this week the Wests Tigers sacked Michael Maguire and Nathan Brown was shown the door by the Warriors. Canterbury axed Trent Barrett last month.

Holbrook, who got the Gold Coast to the finals last year, has tasted just two unconvincing wins in his past 10 games in charge.

One was a last-minute victory over the Wests Tigers, while the other was a golden point victory over St George Illawarra at NRL Magic Round.

Despite the axe falling on Brown and Maguire this week, Holbrook said he felt he had earned enough time to show he could turn the Titans around.

“I’m not (worried about my own job), I’m disappointed about how we are going,” he said. “I feel horrible; we’re letting a lot of people down.

“There’s been a few other coaches who have unfortunately been moved on but I feel very privileged and lucky that we have had a conversation around where we’ve gone.

“Since I came in, we went from last to ninth and then ninth to eighth and you naturally just want to get better. I feel secure in what I’m doing.”

Holbrook put a lot of faith in a young spine this season. He moved AJ Brimson to five-eighth, deployed Jayden Campbell at fullback and opted for talented Toby Sexton at halfback.

Injuries to Campbell have forced the coach to adapt and with the lightweight flier picking up a hamstring complaint this week, Brimson will shift into the fullback role for the game with the Rabbitohs.

Holbrook, who confirmed Queensland Maroons forward Tino Fa’asuamaleaui would come off the bench after his exploits in Origin, has opted for Paul Turner to play at five-eighth.

Harris likes Ryles’ style to be next Warriors coach

Sydney Roosters assistant Jason Ryles is likely to be in the picture to replace his former St George Illawarra teammate and coach at the Warriors next year.

And Warriors skipper Tohu Harris, who worked with Ryles when he was at the Melbourne Storm, said he had the right personality to succeed as a head coach.

“I feel really old that I have played with and been coached by Rylesy,” Harris said.

“He’s a great person first and foremost. I’m not sure if he’s in the (club’s) plan but you need good people to lead clubs onto successful things.”

Harris says the Warriors’ players need to take a look in the mirror after their NRL winless streak culminated in the exit of Brown on Tuesday.

Club great Stacey Jones has been installed as the interim coach until the end of the season, with Sunday’s game against Cronulla at Redcliffe his first assignment.

The Warriors are winless in their last five games and Harris said the players were responsible for the slump and Brown’s sudden departure.

“It’s strange times at the moment,” Harris said on Thursday.

“We are disappointed at the moment because we feel we’ve had a hand in what’s gone on.

“We need to look ourselves in the mirror and hopefully we can finish the year strong and get Stacey off to a good start as the head coach.”

Unlike the Wests Tigers, who are being heavily linked to Penrith assistant Cameron Ciraldo after they sacked Michael Maguire on Tuesday, there does not seem to be a readymade replacement for Brown in the long term.

The Warriors have already ruled out approaching Maguire.

But Paul Green and Shane Flanagan – both also premiership-winning coaches – are likely to be linked to the role.

Prop Dunamis Lui worked with another potential candidate, St Helens mentor Kristian Woolf, when they were at the Brisbane Broncos together almost a decade ago and said he was well credentialled for the role.

“I didn’t know (he had been linked to the job) but from what he’s done throughout his career, he’s done a really good job with Tonga and in the Super League,” Lui said. “I think any club who gets Woolfy will go well.”

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