Hypotheticals '09

[perverse]

I know it's a little early for this (being round 2 '08 and all) but the little hint from brian smith that we may have our biggest signing of '08 right around the corner has illicited much thought from me over the past few days. that, combined with a few little whispers that tupou may be close to signing with us got me really thinking about what our pack could look like next year:

8. Cross
9. Hilder?
10. Wicks
11. Tupou
12. Paterson
13. Simpson

Then you have the likes of Taufua, Royal, Tolar, White, Sargent and co. all up to first grade standard. with a quality hooker, that forward pack can really go places. then we have to have a look at the backline. by next year i would anticipate we will have worked our way toward something like this:

1. Gidley
2. Uate
3. McManus
4. Naqaima
5. Vuna
6. Mullen
7. Walsh/Dureau

with the only question mark being whether we will actually manage to lure a quality centre to the club and still afford tupou.

thoughts? i think that forward pack can take us into the top 4 next year. the skill, size, intimidation, mongrel and depth are all there in spades.

feel free to post other hypothetical teams based on who we may be signing with bedsy's cash.

 

[The Camden Leisure Pirate]

Mate, if Tupou keeps playing to the standard he set in the first round, we wont be the only club in the hunt for his services.

But you're right, he would be a great addition to our pack.

Tupou and Royal are off-loading machines.

 

[keeney]

Tupou would be great, but I have been having major problems justifying more forwards to myself. We have few players of his quality, but so many of a reasonable level (and ones that have admittedly garnered some of my sentimental attachment) that its rather ridiculous.

Outside backs are what we need, perhaps a backup hooker too.

 

[KniGhTs BaTTLeR]

I would like to see

1. Gidley
2. Mcmanus
3. Collis
4. Wes
5. Uate/Vuna

 

[perverse]

Mate, if Tupou keeps playing to the standard he set in the first round, we wont be the only club in the hunt for his services.

But you're right, he would be a great addition to our pack.

Tupou and Royal are off-loading machines.

definitely agree mate. as the title suggests - this is all just hypothetical - pie in the sky stuff. i just want to get a feel for where we could be heading next year. my initial thoughts have revealed some very promising possibilities, and i wanted to see what we could come up with collectively.

 

[roopy]

Hooker is the top priority for next year.
Hilder and Young arn't going to suddenly be firstgrade stars.
Dureau did a hell of a lot of dummy half work this week - it looked like the pattern was Dureau for the first few tackles then Bedsy took over for the business end of the set.
Tyne Owen and young Liam Higgins both look incredible prospects, but i'd hate to have to gamble on them being ready next year.

We look to have every other position covered two or three times over, but without Bedsy and Seu Seu we are at least one quality hooker short.

 

[Jono078]

1. Gidley
2. Uate
3. Naiqama
4. Inglis
5. Vuna
6. Mullen
7. Dureau
8. Cross
9. Ennis
10. Royal
11. Houston
12. Paterson
13. Simpson
--
14. Hilder
15. Wicks
16. Ciraldo
17. Fa'aoso

Nice

 

[perverse]

Hooker is the top priority for next year.
Hilder and Young arn't going to suddenly be firstgrade stars.
Dureau did a hell of a lot of dummy half work this week - it looked like the pattern was Dureau for the first few tackles then Bedsy took over for the business end of the set.
Tyne Owen and young Liam Higgins both look incredible prospects, but i'd hate to have to gamble on them being ready next year.

We look to have every other position covered two or three times over, but without Bedsy and Seu Seu we are at least one quality hooker short.

agree 100%.

dureaus improvement with his tackling is almost overwhelming. if he can continue to improve (as i have stated in previous threads) i would love to see him get a shot at hooker.. which gets all 3 of our young halves (the trinity?) onto the field at the same time. it also frees up bedsys money to chase a top line outside back. to be honest (as a few of you have already expressed) we don't need tupou. having said that though, he would certainly be the icing on the cake of our forward pack - and to be honest i think it would be a pack that could carry us to a premiership.

 

[perverse]

1. Gidley
2. Uate
3. Naiqama
4. Inglis
5. Vuna
6. Mullen
7. Dureau
8. Cross
9. Ennis
10. Royal
11. Houston
12. Paterson
13. Simpson
--
14. Hilder
15. Wicks
16. Ciraldo
17. Fa'aoso

Nice

LOL i can't believe i left out houston and fa'aoso from my first post. our depth is absolutely outstanding... even this year. looking at that.. we really do not need tupou, and i'd almost be disappointed if we signed him.

 

[The Camden Leisure Pirate]

Hooker is the top priority for next year.

I'll be interested to see how George Ndaira from the Bunnies goes this week.

He had some quality games for St. George in his debut season.

Obviously he is not going to knock-off Issac Luke at Souths as their No 1. hooker,
maybe worth a look.

 

[macavity]

erm before we get ahead of ourselves

I think the "big signing for 08" is BEN CROSS.

you know, our big signing who hasn't played an NRL game for us yet?

 

[macavity]

FTR I would love to see us stitch up Tupou now.

from the available hookers, Stu Flanagan, Isaac De Gois or John Morris (I think he is available) would be good. I am confident we will pick up someone decent.

a pack of

Cross
*new signing*
Houston
Tupou
Pato
Simmo

is the match of any pack.

 

[perverse]

erm before we get ahead of ourselves

I think the "big signing for 08" is BEN CROSS.

you know, our big signing who hasn't played an NRL game for us yet?

lol yeah.. i did suggest that in the thread with the article, but didn't receive much of a reception for it as people starting flailing about wondering who we would sign next. however i believe it was worded as "big signing OF 08" not "big signing FOR 08" in smithys article... although i could be wrong.

still - with bedsy going - we do have some more cash to throw around.

 

[Jono078]

LOL i can't believe i left out houston and fa'aoso from my first post. our depth is absolutely outstanding... even this year. looking at that.. we really do not need tupou, and i'd almost be disappointed if we signed him.

Houston was so good on Saturday, he looked like a Creagh clone.

Last year I didnt see him bend the line, but he is looking strong this year, Raiders struggled to contain him. He also set up the first try and came within a few metres of setting up one for Vuna after breaking tackles and kicking for him.

Also there is Ciraldo.. From what ive seen he has potential, he's is big and strong. I reckon he will be one of Smith's best average to star player this year.

Apparently he killed it in reserves and he looks set to have a crack at Manly this week.

Can't wait

 

[The Camden Leisure Pirate]

John Morris (I think he is available)

Correct.

He is being heavily courted by the Roosters.

 

[NthKnight]

1. Gidley
2. Uate
3. Naiqama
4. Inglis
5. Vuna
6. Mullen
7. Dureau
8. Cross
9. Ennis
10. Royal
11. Houston
12. Paterson
13. Simpson
--
14. Hilder
15. Wicks
16. Ciraldo
17. Fa'aoso

Nice

If we signed Ennis I would be majorly disappointed in our recruitment staff. He was next to useless when he was here the first time around and nothing has changed IMO. Hilder is a great worker in defence and has the strengh and kicking game to be a top notch hooker.

Also J.Morris cops a massive bagging from Tigers fans regularly for being inept at halfback but the fact of the matter is that he is a natural hooker and would thrive in that position. As this wont happen as long as Farah is at the club I for one would love to take him off their hands and see him sign for the Knights.

Aint speculation a wonderful thing

 

[Karmawave]

Agree Nth Knight.

John Morris at 9 would be a 20 times better option than signing an injury prone Michael Ennis, who quite frankly hasn't achieved not even 25% of what John Morris has achieved in first grade.

I can't see the wrap on Ennis. Apart from the fact he can hardly stay healthy, has he really ever done anything? :lol:

 

[perverse]

we'd get morris for a lot less than bedsy is on too, would leave some extra cash for some nice pay rises for our young improvers etc, or alternatively we might just be able to pull the cash together to get the outside back we desperately need?

hard to say since it's a bit of an unknown just how close to the cap we are at the moment with all our new signing + terence leaving etc.

 

[darkness]

I think we should just stick with the forward pack we have cause another forward we dont need, signing another may have a negetive impact on the current crop. They did ok in Rd 1 and can only get better and tougher. Gaining morris would be great, I like that dude, he is strong, I remember a few years back knights vs broncos and he bitch slapped Lote Tuiquiri to run over the top and score.

 

[Karmawave]

I think two logical targets are John Morris and Anthony Tupou.

Both are Newcastle boys, and know how great the area is. Lets face it, Newcastle has a real misconception about the quality of life up here from those who arent familiar with it. Its a great place to live, but not many footballers who have not lived here realise how good it is - and for that reason it isnt really appealing to many of them. This cannot be said about Morris and Tupou.

They would both be a great asset to the team.

Morris, lets not forget, originally only left Newcastle because Brian Smith is a HUGE Morris fan, and courted him to the Eels. Firstly he selected him as a Country Origin rep, and then made a big offer for him to be the Eels hooker.

You can be sure with Smith still here next year, John Morris will be target number 1 to rejoin the Knights and play hooker.

Tupou is an international class player that should not be overlooked even giving our depth in the second row. He is also not " old " and we can expect a solid 3, 4 years out of him. Tupou has class and skill that is natural and if it means clearing out some second row stock, then lets do that to get him. The bloke has freaky skills that not many other players possess, and while our second rowers might be solid currently, Tupou adds class they don't have.

John Morris would love to return " home " to live.

Anthony Tupou might just be able to be convinced to do the same, and with both players knowing what a great area it is to live and play footy, we might just have the inside running for both players. Im confident if Tupou doesn't sign with the Roosters, then his first option is to return to Newcastle if the money is decent.