Jesse Royal and Matt White told to look elsewhere.

[roopy]

Ling is tiny roops!

He isn't tall, but he is built like a brick.

 

[Jono078]

Wow @ White, I think he's played the whole first half!

10 tackles, 10 runs and 98m already.

Best game i've seen him play, and he isnt getting dominated, he is hitting the line and bending them back.

Seriously he or Royal really deserve a contract from us.

 

[Kazaf]

They both deserve a new contract with us.
I really want to see them as regular first graders next season, over Wicks!

 

[chinorocks]

White's played what 3 games all year, he can't be asking that much surely. I think we'd be nuts not to re-sign him. He always gives his all rarely makes errors and he's in really good form.

 

[cram]

White was a stand out today.

 

[Spike]

A kick in the guts for Royal who has improved his game so much over the last two seasons.

 

[Karmawave]

Matt White turned in the best front row performance that we have had from any front rower all year.

 

[macavity]

Whitey is in the shop window. he wont be staying.

it is a joke that we are not keeping at least one of them. we are going to run out of decent props (ie not Wicks) at some stage next year.

oh, and those wondering about salary cap issues - both Wicks and Luke Doogs on over 200k, and Luke Walsh on 150k..... is your answer. Smith has made some incredibly bad recruitment decisions and we are paying the price.

 

[Jono078]

L Doogs over 200k? :lol:

I don't think he was ever worth that much?

Wicks I could live with because he has loads of potential and a few clubs were after him, we just need to make sure we get our moneys worth out of him.

 

[Adsy]

If we don't offer Whitey or Royal something then we don't deserve them.

Royal all year and now White the last 3 weeks. 'Solid' is not doing these two guys justice.

They are very good first grade quality front rowers.

 

[keeney]

I have been Royal's fan since he proved his hands are infact hands and not feet. But White has turned in the most dominant display by a forward of ours this year. 16 hitups for 169 metres? (the most metres a forward of ours has made since Zeb in the corresponding game last year, and who knows how long before that) Good minutes? Cheap, young and a constant improver since he debuted? How the f**k can we deny him a contract if we seem so sold on getting rid of Jess (another who has done plenty to earn a contract.)

I am of the opinion that Smith has unrealistic impact oriented views of what a prop should be, this explains his man love for Wicks, Cannings, Moi Moi even Cross the overpaid hack. When not being able to recognise the inherent quality in cheap pick ups like White and Royal. For Shame Brian, get a clue.

 

[BG]

his man love for Wicks, Cannings, Moi Moi even Cross the overpaid hack.

Wow, how you can compare Wicks and Cannings to Moimoi and Cross is beyond me. And with respect, I reckon that if we can only get some injury-free footy out of Cross, your assessment of him will look like that of an "overpaid hack" (and I'm assuming you get paid zit for your comments on this form!).

 

[IanG]

Woooo... If Brian Smith leaves who will coach us?

No we get the Messiah to do it. Do whatever it takes.

 

[BG]

Just further on Cross, I must be the only one more convinced of him now than at the beginning of the year. I can only put the general opinion down to the frustration of one of our higher paid players hardly getting on to the field at club level this year. But bad luck happens and a look at the little football Cross has had this season only provides me with confidence that he'll eventually be a great buy for us.

His five club games have been:

r5 v Broncos: Very ordinary. But it was his first game since 2007 grand final.

r6 v Roosters: Started to look good. Ran 95 metres, made no handling errors, revealed an offload in his armoury and made 28 tackles. A couple of missed tackles were the only blot.

r7 v Titans: Terrific. 136 metres. 3 offloads. 0 errors. 25 tackles; 1 missed.

r9 v Melb: They targeted him and got the better of him. It happens.

r15 v Roosters: Solid effort coming back from another lay-off. Ran 102 metres and made 20 tackles with 0 misses.

I haven't checked up on his rep game stats but I'd be surprised if anyone doesn't agree that he was one of the best players on the field in city-country and imho he didn't look out of place at SOO level (which to be frank I thought might have been beyond his class).

Overall, the only thing that has made Cross's season a bust at club level is injury. I don't think it's any coincidence that after getting a little footy under his belt he was involved in two of our best wins of the year against the Roosters and a full-strength Titans. With any luck, he will still end up a terrific buy for us.

 

[Jono078]

I hate the fact that his mind always seemed to be on rep footy AND that his best games werent in the Knights jumpers.

His best game was for Country while his second best was for NSW in game 3.

I think he is good, although a tad overated and not in that top bracket of forwards.

I would take someone like Scott Logan at half the price.

 

[Yosh]

Well honestly like if Cross wasnt injured for most of the season he could well be one of the most dominate forwards in the game at the moment. All we can hope for is that he is injury free once he comes back. Sure he pretty much wasted a season for us but if he is better for it once he comes back it will all be worth it.

White surely get a contract look in after that performance right? (I havent seen the game but read the comments so far about him, would be stupid if we dont right?)

 

[BG]

I hate the fact that his mind always seemed to be on rep footy

There's no doubt he spoke a lot about rep footy this year. Most good players have it as a burning ambition. I'd be worried about them otherwise. The fact that he got much more press about it than knights-related issues, I think has more to do with the fact that the media mainly asked him about it. He was a borderline SOO selection perceived as a Bellamy fav. and that created interest.

It seems unfair to assume that he hasn't also been set on playing his heart out for the Knights. Comments from Smith and others have implied that he is among those who set the standard at training. I have no way of really knowing, but I understood we bought him partly for his ethic so I'd be surprised if it wasn't true. Anyway, best way to get rep jerseys is good form for your club.

AND that his best games werent in the Knights jumpers.

Just the way the timing fell. He was coming into fitness on rep game weeks.

I think he is good, although a tad overated and not in that top bracket of forwards

Tend to agree. Although at his best I don't think he's that far off them. Anyway, I rate him higher now than I did at the end of last year.

 

[antonius]

White has shown potential ever since he first hit first grade. He's big, runs straight can play quality time, and is young. It was only a matter of time before he turned in a performance like yesterdays. We'll regret letting him go. I don't know who Smith sees as back-up props next season, we are going to be very thin on the ground, and letting guys like White and Royal go, and relying on lard arse Wicks would be laughable if it weren't so serious.

 

[Pika]

I am sold on Cross.

If my number one signing did not have ambitions for rep, then he is not the man.

Injuries suck, but they happen.

The intensity and focus he has introduced to the other props this year has been worth a huge amount.

 

[Whats Doing]

Since his 3 games in 1st grade, White must be a priority re-signing for the knights. Him and Cross would give us the required go forward.