Any news on signings / departures for next season?

[The Charlatan]

If true it would make Blair look like a great signing

This. At least Blair was good with Melbourne.

This is akin to signing on Dave Taylor thinking he will come good here.

 

[FootynRacing]

Rumour doing the rounds on fb last night that we are about to sign Uate. Cleary not a credible source but surely not true right ?

 

[The Charlatan]

I've heard that we're sniffing around.

 

[Old Time Tiger]

Can he kick goals though ?

No doubt because he can't make 1st grade now, the Tigers are expecting to pick him up cheaply but is there a guarantee that he will improve and show enough in the off season to warrant a starting position next season.

Surely we have a winger in the NSW Cup or the U20's that can be given a go and gee, perhaps that same winger might be able to kick 51% of goal attempts

 

[Trollhammaren]

Rumour doing the rounds on fb last night that we are about to sign Uate. Cleary not a credible source but surely not true right ?

I read that as we're keen to sign Utai! And was thinking 'gee that'd be right'.

 

[simmo05]

Geez I hope not, unless we get him very cheap.

 

[TIGER14]

No way would I want Uate unless Newcastle payed nearly his entire salary.
Otherwise I'm rather promote Papenhuyzen.
We need to ensure ET is signed up before looking at outside signings.

 

[Trollhammaren]

http://rugbyleagueweek.com.au/knights-desperate-off-load-uate-tigers/

Some more on the Uate rumour.

THE EMBATTLED Newcastle Knights are looking to shed some dead weight from their salary cap in 2017 with former Kangaroos winger Akuila Uate at the top of the list.

Uate, who is currently playing for the Knights’ NSW Cup team, is one of the competition’s highest paid wingers and is set to earn close to $500,000 next season.

Knights coach Nathan Brown is so desperate to get Uate off the club’s books next season that the club would be willing to subsidise a portion of his salary.

At this stage, the Tigers, who will lose flyer Josh Addo-Carr to the Storm next season, remain the only club who have expressed interest in the 28-year-old. But his monster salary and inconsistent form over the past couple seasons has created some hesitation amongst the Tigers front office.

Tigers backs Kevin Naiqama and Jordan Rankin have struggled particularly on the defensive end this season and the duo are reportedly being shopped around to other clubs.

The Tigers interest in Uate is genuine but the Knights will likely need to take on more of his salary than was initially discussed.

It has been quite a fall from grace for the Fijian-born wingers who just four years ago represented both the Kangaroos and NSW.

 

[madunit]

Don't want Uate. Glad to hear Kev and Rankin are being shopped around. Who would buy any of the three though?

 

[Clifferd]

Idk I have a feeling Uate would reignite his career here, much the same as Elijah Taylor, remember it wasn't long ago he was the best winger in the comp running around

 

[madunit]

Yeah but wingers are everywhere and cheap. We don't need to spend big coin on one.

As I've mentioned before, Jacob Gagan is a quality finisher who has good hands. He would only need 100k to be more than happy.

Spend the coin on a centre and a backrower.

 

[BrotherJim05]

We need a left winger, right side 80 min back rower and right side centre and we are a finals footy team.

If we could only choose one, I would go with an 80 min back rower. Aloai is coming along nicely but doesn't have the motor, and Lovett just doesn't have enough impact off the bench.
Move MCK to right centre and Naiqama to left wing

 

[madunit]

On another note, it makes you wonder how this club could have salary cap issues, when we are chasing a NSW Cup winger on half a million a year.

The one person that has survived all the bullshit at this club is Warren McDonnell. Its high time he got the arse. We've had salary cap pressures for most of his time at the club, and give the results over that time, I cannot see how he has done enough to warrant his constant employment.

 

[Old Time Tiger]

Good point madunit, there seems to be a protected species or 2 in the back office.

In regards to Uate and the need for a centre, surely we have some kid coming through the ranks who could 'make it' without the need to spend big dollars. Your 'selections' last week for the Bulldogs game were a case of thinking outside the square madunit, I'd suggest that they could also try something else in the off season, have these guys do plenty of sprint training, defensive work etc in centres and wing situations, in opposed sessions with the 1st grade backs and find the guys who just might come good. I'd go as far as suggesting that they also include the guy already signed, played junior football at 5/8 would perhaps be better defensively than Kev. He would need plenty of sprint training though but he isn't required in the forwards anymore and that is C Sironen.

 

[madunit]

Curtis needs to lose some weight and do a shit tonne of cardio to be a centre.

But as I've always said, it was what he should've done in his transition to the back row.

 

[Old Time Tiger]

Sunday Tele 17th Jul - Whats's the Buzz

Which former Wests Tigers star - and it's not Benji Marshall - has been in talks with his old club about returning next year.

So guys who could it be? the star has me stumped.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Heighington was never much of a star..

Don't really want him back next year either..

 

[Clifferd]

Fifita, Ashyford or Heighno? Other than that can't think of anyone else.

 

[madunit]

Ayshford.

He's in his 2011 form and defensively shits on Kev.

We suffer in attack but if it means we stop letting so many tries in, the need to score so often is reduced.

 

[madunit]

Could it be Tapau?