What's new
By:
Advanced search…
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Rumoured Targets 3

mozza91

mozza91

Coach
Messages
16,504
The Axe of Druss said:
You dont think Ponga has been that player for the last 7+ years?
Click to expand...
Ponga went from the best player in the world after 2 Rounds in 2025 to a complete bum after half a dozen average games whilst injured over the next couple of months according to a large portion of our genius fanbase.

Apparently the Knights don’t even need him anymore as displayed by the 8 games after his season ending injury where we did so well!
 
The Axe of Druss

The Axe of Druss

Bench
Messages
3,306
mozza91 said:
Ponga went from the best player in the world after 2 Rounds in 2025 to a complete bum after half a dozen average games whilst injured over the next couple of months according to a large portion of our genius fanbase.

Apparently the Knights don’t even need him anymore as displayed by the 8 games after his season ending injury where we did so well!
Click to expand...
Look, I can understand the negative sentiment towards him after this and last year where he was barely on the field. At his best he is an absolute game changer but with Brown coming in 2026 and Sharpe having a break out season before his injury (which i think was a bigger factor in our end of season collapse) I can understand the perspective that we could afford to be without him.

FTR I want him here and to see what he can do with Brown, Smith and Sharpe.
 
mozza91

mozza91

Coach
Messages
16,504
The Axe of Druss said:
Look, I can understand the negative sentiment towards him after this and last year where he was barely on the field. At his best he is an absolute game changer but with Brown coming in 2026 and Sharpe having a break out season before his injury (which i think was a bigger factor in our end of season collapse) I can understand the perspective that we could afford to be without him.

FTR I want him here and to see what he can do with Brown, Smith and Sharpe.
Click to expand...
I can definitely understand the frustration but there seems to genuine hatred towards the bloke from a pretty large section of Rugby League’s fanbase.

I know he’s injury prone and overpaid but it’s not like he’s a massive wanker who’s constantly in trouble off the field or carrying on like a plum on it. He comes across as quiet, nice sort of bloke to be honest but cops more hatred than any current player, a lot of it from his own fans.

Agree re Sharpe he was a shining light this year along with Lucas. I don’t mind if we keep him in the halves or move him back to the wing to be honest, I just know he has to be in the starting 13. Either he or Smith and obviously Brown are a massive upgrade on anything we’ve had in the halves recently.
 
Last edited:
Rod

Rod

Bench
Messages
4,132
Second that the NRL fanbase in general is weird about Ponga considering he's done little to deserve it. Any social media post about him will have a lot of negative comments about random things like Andre. As if regular player agents are any better...

Some of it is fuelled by the media's inability to quit speculating about him I guess.
 
Dr Dr Gimedanews

Dr Dr Gimedanews

Juniors
Messages
1,678
He's a franchise player for a low tier club and not a powerhouse, plus one of the sports highest money earners, and only half Aussie.

Makes an easy target for headlines.

Ponga does a bow tie ad - Nines headline " NRL turns on Ponga "

Imagine if he painted his nails, plucked his eyebrows, wore eyeliner and drunk toilet water - they'd crucify him. Or if he got high, drove a car and injured a child....jeez Fox would have called for a lifetime ban.
 
macavity

macavity

Referee
Messages
21,354
Dr Dr Gimedanews said:
He's a franchise player for a low tier club and not a powerhouse, plus one of the sports highest money earners, and only half Aussie.

Makes an easy target for headlines.

Ponga does a bow tie ad - Nines headline " NRL turns on Ponga "

Imagine if he painted his nails, plucked his eyebrows, wore eyeliner and drunk toilet water - they'd crucify him. Or if he got high, drove a car and injured a child....jeez Fox would have called for a lifetime ban.
Click to expand...

If he played for the Broncos he could shoot a rum pig at the Caxton and the 9 headline would be "Ponga victim of violent attack"
 
Burwood

Burwood

First Grade
Messages
5,261
Newcastle have asked the NRL for their own Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii-type exemption in order to allow young gun Kingston Seve to train with the Knights full-time.

Newcastle have written to the NRL to formally request permission to enable 16-year-old Seve to train full-time with the team this season. Under NRL rules players are unable to play until their 18th birthday but are able to train with the condition that they are 17 on November 1 of the year they are signed.

Seve turns 17 on November 29, putting him just out of the window.

The Roosters were allowed to train and play Suaalii before he turned 18 in 2021. Unlike the Roosters though, the Knights just want Seve to train full-time with the team in 2026. As it stands they aren’t requesting permission to play him. But they want him to get a full year of training under his belt with the prospect of starting in first grade in 2027.

Seve he has already drawn parallels with Suaalii and has been earmarked as a future superstar.

Like Suaalii, Seve is a hulking centre and was part of a cross-code tug of war before he opted to play rugby league. He signed a four year deal to join the Knights from the Dolphins. Newcastle recruitment boss Peter O’Sullivan signed Seve to the Dolphins and enticed him to Newcastle on a long-term deal.

Seve is still at school at Hunter Sports High. He has represented Queensland in various under-15 and under-17 teams.

Seve was part of the Burleigh Bears winning Cyril Connell Cup side this year.

Before Suaalii was allowed to play with the Roosters, the club had to create a wellbeing and mentoring plan, a gambling and alcohol management plan and an assurance Sua’ali’i completes year 12.

Permission for Sua’ali’i had to be signed off by the ARL Commission.

Newcastle’s head of football Chris James worked at the Roosters when Suaalii was coming through.

Suaalii played five games in his first season before going on to play 66 matches for the Roosters before leaving the NRL to join the Wallabies.

Wests Tigers prodigy Heamasi Makasini made his NRL debut this year while at school however he had already turned 18 so did not need NRL permission. He trained with the Tigers throughout the season while balancing schooling commitments.
Click to expand...
 
The Axe of Druss

The Axe of Druss

Bench
Messages
3,306
Knight Tales said:
If Hetho does play at the level he is capable of under Bellamy, then rep honours are not beyond him.
Click to expand...
I think Hetherington is a phenomenal athlete but alas has a very average footy IQ. Very much doubt he'll be anything more than a solid bench middle and thats assuming Bellamy can coach the penalties out of him
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Top