IF Tariq Sims had planned to walk out on the Knights it seems unlikely he would’ve ended up in a cramped one-bedroom hotel room with his wife and two young children.
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That’s where the 26-year-old found himself on Saturday at the end of a whirlwind week in which he was granted an early release by Newcastle and made his debut for the Dragons with just a single session under his belt.
It’s a situation he never expected to be in after signing a lucrative three-year deal with St George Illawarra that was supposed to begin in 2017.
Sims said he always intended to see out the remainder of the year with the Knights until the club made the decision to off-load him early in a move that allows them to bank the balance of his contract in preparation for next season.
“I love Newcastle, I love the place and I love the people who are involved with the club but the club opted to go in a different direction,” Sims said.
“I didn’t know [when it would happen] but when the green light was given it all happened very quickly.
“Anyone who’s been through a transfer knows that pulling two kids and a wife up out of nowhere is pretty tricky.
“At the moment we’re hotel hopping in a one-room hotel with two kids but she’s a great boss my missus so she’s done really well.
“A week’s a long time in the NRL and it’s happened the way it has. I’m going to miss my brothers up there but I’m happy.
“I know where I stand here with the Dragons and I’m looking forward to the future and what it holds.”
Sims didn’t miss a beat on the paddock despite having just Friday’s captain’s run under his belt.
The Gerringong Lions product proved one of the Dragons best with his 130 metres from 14 carries drawing high praise from coach Paul McGregor.
“I had just the one session, the captain’s run but it was a very productive training session,” Sims said.
“I learned a lot there and I got the gist of where we wanted to go on the field.
“It was very busy, long days and long nights studying the plays and obviously getting used to the way the boys get around the paddock.
“I like to think I applied myself pretty well and chipped in. I knew the role Mary wanted me to play and that was just to play in the middle. It’s not easy but it’s pretty simple you’ve just got to catch run and tackle so I did it to the best of my ability.”
Sims will have to wait at least a fortnight to build on his impressive debut for the club with McGregor confirming post-match he won’t play against his former club at Hunter Stadium this week.
“He’s not available next week,” McGregor said. “It’s written into his contract that he can’t play against Newcastle next week.”
