12:00pm Saturday 4th September 2010
By Peter Martini
CONTROVERSIAL character Ian Bell could yet force his way into the York City Knights line-up for the eagerly awaited play-off campaign after standing out in training.
However, one person who definitely will not feature is big Brett Waller, whose season is now over for sure as he awaits surgery on his knee problem.
Bell played his first game for over a year on August 17 in the Knights reserves’ defeat to Widnes, just four days after coming out of jail on prison licence having served half of a 12-month sentence for assault charges.
That was the reserves’ last match of the year, leaving Bell with only training sessions in which to win a place in the squad for next Sunday’s qualifying play-off at Oldham – and possibly a contract for next season.
But Knights head coach Dave Woods says he has so far been impressed with the 27-year-old one-time Super League player.
“We were back in training last Friday (after a mini-break) and that was a very tough session,” Woods said.
“The players then had the weekend off and were back on Tuesday night then Thursday night. We’ll now do tomorrow morning, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, before the Oldham game.
“It’s been good. On Friday night our timings were a bit out but that’s because they’d been away for a bit. Tuesday night was really good. Everyone took part, apart from Ryan Esders, who had a virus, but he’s back now.
“Belly’s smiling a lot at training. He’s been training really well, with a smile on his face, and working really hard. He looks like a different person to when he was here last time.
“He took one interception on his 20-metre line and ran 75 metres to the try-line and Chris Thorman couldn’t catch him. Then he picked Thorman up 12 metres in (from touch) and dropped him straight over the sideline.
“He’s looking good – as are quite a few players.”
He added: “The boys are confident. They’re really looking forward to Oldham. They’ve said we’ll see a different side this time (compared to the display in the league defeat at home to the Roughyeds last month).”
Prop forward Waller, meanwhile, was given permission to go away for ten days on a work course, and on his return he is set to go under the knife. He has not played since the defeat at Hunslet on July 11, cutting short an eye-catching debut season in semi-professional rugby.
He should be back in training by the start of the 2011 campaign, and hopefully in time for pre-season, depending on his rehab.
Woods added: “We’ll have to do without him now, but I’m sure we’ll do all right. Hopefully, he’ll now be right for next season and come back stronger.”
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