Sims set to debut against Melbourne after Knights release

The Gerringong product signed a three-year deal with the Dragons that was set to commence next season before the Knights elected to off-load their co-captain in a move that will free up salary cap space for next season.

Sims will only have Friday’s captain’s run to acquaint himself with the Dragons structures but the odds of the 26-year-old Fijian International playing against the Storm on Saturday shortened dramatically following Tyson Frizell’s call-up on Wednesday night.

Sims underwent a medical on Thursday and Paul McGregor said he will be considered for selection.

“I haven’t given it too much thought because it only happened today [Thursday] but we’ll certainly have a look at him,” McGregor said.

“We’ll bring him in and look at the ways he can learn our systems and if we wake up in the morning and think it’s the right thing to do for the footy team we’ll certainly put him in. 

“If it’s going to make us a better team this weekend that’s what we’ll do.”

With the club’s forwards depth already stretched McGregor dismissed talk of a potential player swap prior to June 30.

“No there’s no player swap, everyone at our club is still here,” McGregor said.

“We originally signed Tariq for three after this year but to get him halfway through this year is really important for us to finish the year off strong.

“It wasn’t originally [the plan] but there was a bit of noise around other clubs and certainly when it became available we looked at every process we could. 

“We lost Mose Masoe [in preseason] as well as letting Sebastine Ikahifoe go to the Super League and Ben Creagh hasn’t played since round three so in our forward stock we’ve been missing players throughout the year.

“It’s really important for us to bring a guy like Tariq in because if we had a few more injuries we didn’t have the depth to cover it.”