KNIGHTS coach Rick Stone said yesterday that Kurt Gidley's display in Sunday's Four Nations final against England reaffirmed his reputation as rugby league's premier utility player.
Now Stone wants to harness Gidley's versatility to maximum advantage by using the NSW Origin skipper in the halves on various occasions next season.
Gidley has established himself as a superstar since switching to fullback three years ago, but Stone, like former coach Brian Smith, believes the 27-year-old could also be a matchwinner at either half or five-eighth.
And Stone feels playing in the halves would also enhance Gidley's representative prospects next season.
"I think fullback's going to still be his preferred spot, but he's also probably going to bob up for us a little bit in the halves at different times," Stone said yesterday.
"He probably adds a bit of depth to our halves. We've got [Jarrod] Mullen, [Scott] Dureau and [Ben] Rogers, but a fourth half could come in handy over a long season.
"We've also got two quality players there in Shannon McDonnell and young Peter Mata'utia, so we like to think we've got a decent base at fullback.
"So if we need to push Kurt into the halves, through injury or whatever reason, we've got that flexibility."
Stone said Gidley would play in only one pre-season trial match and would spend "about a quarter" of that game in the halves.
Even though he skippered NSW Origin as fullback last season, the presence of Jarryd Hayne and Brett Stewart means Gidley is no certainty to retain either the captaincy or No.1 jersey.
NSW coach Craig Bellamy was set to pick Gidley at halfback for game one of the 2008 series, only for injury to intervene.
"With the quality of fullbacks available for NSW, I don't think it would hurt him to show that he's more than adequate in the halves," Stone said.
"Especially as NSW skipper, it might help him to show that he's got some selection flexibility when that time comes around next year."
Appearing in his seventh Test, six of which have been off the interchange bench, Gidley replaced a heavily concussed Justin Hodges late in the first half of Sunday's Four Nations decider.
He proceeded to play out the rest of the game and capped a classy display by setting up Billy Slater's final try with a deft chip kick.
"Even though he was playing centre, which probably isn't ideal for Kurt, it magnified how good a utility player he is," Stone said.
"He could play half, five-eighth, hooker, lock, fullback, centre and possibly even wing.
"There's not a player in the game not only in the NRL but in the world who can play as many positions as Kurt.
"I thought Kurt more than held his own."
Stone said Gidley, who is holidaying in Europe, would not be required back at training until the new year.
More league, Pages 60-61
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