Knights SOS to Buderus

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Newcastle Knights officials want club legend Danny Buderus to return home from the north of England to play a leadership and mentoring role at the crisis-ridden club.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Knights chief executive Steve Burraston and football manager Keith Onslow have spoken with Buderus' agent George Mimis about the possibility of him cutting short his big-money contract with Super League champions Leeds.

Initially, Burraston was prepared to offer the $400,000 available in the salary cap from the departure of Danny Wicks and Chris Houston for the club's former champion hooker to make a comeback on the football field.

But after consulting Onslow and coach Rick Stone, it was decided back-row and front-row depth needed strengthening and it would be unfair on current hooker Isaac De Gois and captain Kurt Gidley if Buderus was brought back as a player.

"If I can find the money, I'd love to get Bedsy back in Newcastle," Burraston said last night.

"But there are a couple of issues. Number one is that we cannot be enticing a player to break a contract with another club and he's got a deal with Leeds."

It's well known among Newcastle players with whom Buderus regularly speaks that he's not overly happy in England.

He played off the bench against Melbourne Storm in the World Club Challenge final and has averaged only 45 minutes a game since joining Leeds.

Mimis was last night trying to contact the former Blues captain in England to talk about a possible opportunity at the Knights, the club he reluctantly left at the end of 2008 after 11 seasons, 220 first-grade games, 25 Tests and 21 Origins.

"Bedsy is a great Newcastle brand and he would love to be involved with the Knights in some capacity in the future," Mimis said.

"While it would be a great thing for the club if he could return immediately, he's contracted until the end of the season and is yet to make a decision on whether he'll play after that. But in rugby league you never say never."

Burraston has not ruled out making an official approach to Leeds management to discuss a release from his contract.

"There are any number of roles he could play in administration at our club," Burraston said.

"He's got great leadership qualities and he's highly respected by everyone in the game."

The return of Buderus would be the perfect solution for the Knights after the turmoil of the past few months.

His clean-cut image and the fact he is a home-grown superstar would help to appease the fans and sponsors of the league-mad town.
 

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