2018 team

[Joel-22]

Wtf do u know about the new recruits btw?

What's with the aggression?

Of the new recruits I only know Heighington (family friend - played for Umina bunnies with my cousin). I know he is a phenomenal trainer.

The other recruits I only know what I've read and Griffin and Guerra are supposed to be fantastic trainers also.

 

[Pedge1971]

What's with the aggression?

Of the new recruits I only know Heighington (family friend - played for Umina bunnies with my cousin). I know he is a phenomenal trainer.

The other recruits I only know what I've read and Griffin and Guerra are supposed to be fantastic trainers also.

Sorry mate. Re read the post and way too aggressive. Too many Thursday night sherbets. My bad.

 

[Joel-22]

Sorry mate. Re read the post and way too aggressive. Too many Thursday night sherbets. My bad.

haha no problem at all mate, I appreciate it!

We may disagree on Sione but I'm sure that we'd both love to see him, along with the rest of our young side, do well next year. Cheers to that!

 

[Mr_Knightside]

It's great that there's actually so much to discuss at this time of year as there seem to be a few genuine selection headaches in our squad at the moment, and these selection headaches are actually for the right reasons.

I'd be shocked if we didn't add another couple of guys to our roster by the start of next season so I think we'll have even more to discuss by then.

 

[Haffa]

 

[BuderusIsaBeast]

Would anyone be able to help me out with what happens with the players outside the Knights squad. From what I’ve read u have. 30 nrl contracts plus 6 development contracts. Apparently only the top 30 can play nrl with the other 6 featuring if allowed by the nrl for injuries etc. Looking at the squad for next year I came up with

1 Ponga
2 SKD
3 S Mata’utia
4 Moga
5 Ross
6 Watson
7 Lamb
8 Lillyman
9 Levi
10 D Saifiti
11 Buhrer
12 Guerra
13 Barnett
14 Griffin
15 Ese’ese
16 Fitzgibbon
17 J Saifiti
18 Sio
19 Heighington
20 Hodkinson
21 Cogger
22 King
23 Yates
24 Stone
25 Meaney
26 Saulo
27 C Mata’utia
28 Phythian
29 P Mata’utia
30 Amey

31 Johns
32 Hosking
33 Jones
34 Denniss
35 Hughes
36 Starling

My question is where does that leave players like Musgrove, Cooper, Robson, Smith, Morris and Cronan? If we sign more guys there will be more players in the situation

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Would anyone be able to help me out with what happens with the players outside the Knights squad. From what I’ve read u have. 30 nrl contracts plus 6 development contracts. Apparently only the top 30 can play nrl with the other 6 featuring if allowed by the nrl for injuries etc. Looking at the squad for next year I came up with

1 Ponga
2 SKD
3 S Mata’utia
4 Moga
5 Ross
6 Watson
7 Lamb
8 Lillyman
9 Levi
10 D Saifiti
11 Buhrer
12 Guerra
13 Barnett
14 Griffin
15 Ese’ese
16 Fitzgibbon
17 J Saifiti
18 Sio
19 Heighington
20 Hodkinson
21 Cogger
22 King
23 Yates
24 Stone
25 Meaney
26 Saulo
27 C Mata’utia
28 Phythian
29 P Mata’utia
30 Amey

31 Johns
32 Hosking
33 Jones
34 Denniss
35 Hughes
36 Starling

My question is where does that leave players like Musgrove, Cooper, Robson, Smith, Morris and Cronan? If we sign more guys there will be more players in the situation

IIRC the squad doesnt need to be completed yet. They can leave some of the development spots open into the season and fill them once players become available or become injured.

 

[Zoidberg]

I think Sione will stay in the forwards, back 5 being
1. Ponga
2. Ross
3. SKD
4. Moga
5. Sio

 

[PhilGould]

Tautau Moga injury update

2018 nib Newcastle Knights recruit Tautau Moga underwent surgery on his shoulder following the Brisbane Broncos’ finals campaign.

Moga aggravated a shoulder injury during the finals, and following scans and consultation with an orthopaedic surgeon, he required shoulder surgery.

Now nearing six weeks post operation, the centre will enter a routine rehabilitation program when he officially starts pre-season training with the Club next week.

Moga will still be able to run during the program to maintain fitness, but at this stage his expected return to playing will be in March.

http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2017/11/15/tautau_moga_injury_u.html

 

[slotmachine]

If he misses Round 1 we're going to be very skinny in the centres.

 

[Spot On]

We have been for years Slotman. Haven't had a good one since Mad Dog pulled the pin. Nothing new.

 

[Pedge1971]

So Bennett blows up about Jack Birds condition but happily sends Moga across busted and in need of an op.

Surprise surprise....

 

[slotmachine]

We have been for years Slotman. Haven't had a good one since Mad Dog pulled the pin. Nothing new.

True, but we at least had players that called themselves centres.

SKD and Naden?

 

[Spot On]

True, but we at least had players that called themselves centres.

SKD and Naden?

Let the turnstiles that are Newcastle Knight centres continue. At least they aren't getting 600K to watch blokes run round them. You never know, they might make a few tackles?

 

[Still Nutty]

http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2017/11/14/lamb_looking_to_buil.html

There is a battle brewing at the nib Newcastle Knights over who will get the nod to start in the halves for the 2018 season.

Talented local youngster Brock Lamb already knows the ins and outs of Trent Hodkinson and Jack Cogger's games, so this pre-season he will be aiming to build a strong combination with newcomer Connor Watson.

“He's a good bloke and we've had a few laughs already,” Lamb told Knights TV.

“We got along pretty well to start with and hopefully the combination forms on the field.

“There will be a lot of time for us to learn how each other plays and how we can organise the team... so it's exciting to see how we can build a combination.”

The 20-year-old maintains it will be crucial to get a good pre-season under his belt to claim a starting spot in the side.

“I'm going to try and stay injury free,” said Lamb.

“The two weeks of pre-season so far have been tough, but I think all the boys have been ripping in and we are showing improvements from last year which is important.

“I want to cement a spot within the team, try and play some consistent footy throughout the year but until Christmas it is just getting my fitness right and training hard every day.”

The Knights half admits the Club’s new roster for 2018 is coming together nicely.

“To see how some of the boys train compared to how we trained as a group in the past year is very exciting and everyone is buying into it,” Lamb added.

“It's exciting not just for us players but for the fans with a few new faces.”

And Lamb said he’ll be able to take advantage of a more experienced Newcastle side next season.

“All the boys tend to look up to the older fellas,” he said.

“You have Jacob Lillyman, who has come in and I know he is helping the boys and you’ve got Aidan Guerra.

“There are a couple more to come which is important for us younger boys to learn and grow off them.”

_______________________________________________________________

My take on this is Watson (subject to no major pre-season stuff ups or injury) is clearly locked in to 5/8 for season start.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

From the Fox Sports website
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...e/news-story/acadb6436fec911995b463322c93401a

KNIGHTS

Off-contract: David Bhana, Pauli Pauli, Will Pearsall

2018 Gains: Herman Ese’ese (Broncos), Slade Griffin (Storm), Aidan Guerra (Roosters), Chris Heighington (Sharks), Jacob Lillyman (Warriors), Tautau Moga (Broncos), Kalyn Ponga (Cowboys), Connor Watson (Roosters), Christian Hazard (Redcliffe), Brent Naden (Raiders)

2018 Losses: Brendan Elliot (Titans), Dane Gagai (Rabbitohs), Rory Kostjasyn (retired), Peter Mata’utia (Leigh), Sam Mataora (retired), Jarrod Mullen (released), Mickey Paea (Hull FC), Josh Starling (Oberon), Anthony Tupou (retired), Joe Wardle (Castleford), Jacob Gagan (Rabbitohs), Jaelen Feeney (Townsville), Jack Stockwell (Titans)

Re-Signed: Mitch Barnett (2020), Lachlan Fitzgibbon (2019), Tom Hughes (2018), Danny Levi (2020), Nick Meaney (2018), Dylan Phythian (2018), Nathan Ross (2020), Tom Starling (2018), Sam Stone (2018), Luke Yates (2018), Jacob Saifiti (2020), Daniel Saifiti (2020), Tyrone Amey (2018), Pasami Saulo (2020)

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I wonder how Pythian might go at centre or wing. He'd be a fullback standby.

 

[Pedge1971]

I wonder how Pythian might go at centre or wing. He'd be a fullback standby.

He is kind of likeva wild card. Ability wise he seems up to it. Here is hoping his body can hold up.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

From the Fox Sports website
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...e/news-story/acadb6436fec911995b463322c93401a

KNIGHTS

Off-contract: David Bhana, Pauli Pauli, Will Pearsall

2018 Gains: Herman Ese’ese (Broncos), Slade Griffin (Storm), Aidan Guerra (Roosters), Chris Heighington (Sharks), Jacob Lillyman (Warriors), Tautau Moga (Broncos), Kalyn Ponga (Cowboys), Connor Watson (Roosters), Christian Hazard (Redcliffe), Brent Naden (Raiders)

2018 Losses: Brendan Elliot (Titans), Dane Gagai (Rabbitohs), Rory Kostjasyn (retired), Peter Mata’utia (Leigh), Sam Mataora (retired), Jarrod Mullen (released), Mickey Paea (Hull FC), Josh Starling (Oberon), Anthony Tupou (retired), Joe Wardle (Castleford), Jacob Gagan (Rabbitohs), Jaelen Feeney (Townsville), Jack Stockwell (Titans)

Re-Signed: Mitch Barnett (2020), Lachlan Fitzgibbon (2019), Tom Hughes (2018), Danny Levi (2020), Nick Meaney (2018), Dylan Phythian (2018), Nathan Ross (2020), Tom Starling (2018), Sam Stone (2018), Luke Yates (2018), Jacob Saifiti (2020), Daniel Saifiti (2020), Tyrone Amey (2018), Pasami Saulo (2020)

Solild group of signings/resignings and no tragic losses...

I really love Newcastle going for the MoneyBall teams. The Bennett/Tinkler teams always felt like the Roosters running on in a Knights jersey; all of the success was bought.

 

[perverse]

1. Ponga
2. SKD
3. Sione
4. Moga
5. Ross
6. Watson (with Lamb as plan b)
7. Pearce
8. Daifiti
9. Levi
10. Lillyman
11. Buhrer
12. Guerra
13. Barnett

14. Griffin
15. Ese'ese
16. Jaifiti
17. Heighington

Gags should be feeling a little silly at this point I think. Even if he signed for our offer, we'd still have money in the bank. That team is really starting to look solid, with a fair bit of depth in a few positions. We can even afford an injury (maybe even 2) in the spine without completely writing off the season - even if we get rid of Hodko. Touch wood of course. If we can't find anymore recruits from outside then we're still banking on some youth stepping up for depth - particularly in the outside backs.

To have blokes that have already been blooded and show promise like Stone, Fitzgibbon, King ready to step up in the pack for injuries is quite the luxury. Then there's other blokes like Phythian and Amey who I would like to see a bit more of, too. Brown and Mooney have done a stellar job... any doubt I had about the job they were doing during the year has been totally dissolved.

I've actually got some confidence now that there might even be one or two more presents to come given the cap space we still have. Pearce was a huge get, players will take notice. In another 24 months we could be sitting around wondering how the hell our team is under the cap.