Match Discussion: Finals Week 1 vs North Qld @ Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville / Wulgurukaba

[Alex28]

I actually see this similar to you do. KP and his Dad negotiated that salary, and insisted it all be under the cap knowing full well it would impact on the squad we could put around KP. To me he definitely deserves his salary how he’s playing at the moment, and I’m so happy he’s a Knight, but when he wanted that contact he and his Dad took higher pay for Kalyn over what could be built around him. Unfortunately we made some really bad recruitment and retention decisions on other players that have exacerbated that. Hopefully POS can get us out of it - judging by DSaf’s IG story looks like we’ve been able to move him on at least!

I get why they did it - TPA’s are bullshit and he’s been burnt by one already, so it makes sense to have it all guaranteed. He also has to realise that means there is less for everyone else - and to put the right pieces around him as a result.

My hope would be is if the right players could be recruited and KP can see a shot of a premiership is there, he restructures and puts some faith in a TPA so we can make that happen. Won’t hold my breath.

 

[Apey]

Yeah, imagine if we had someone like Jake Clifford at the club!

He was average honestly. Lucky he can kick the ball okay because he had nothing else. Better than Crossland and Cogger but that's not hard.

 

[Zoidberg]

He was average honestly. Lucky he can kick the ball okay because he had nothing else. Better than Crossland and Cogger but that's not hard.

Plus, we tried with him, but from what I’ve heard his family wasn’t happy in Newcastle, can’t do much in that situation.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

With arguably the worst halves pairing ( worst spine?) in the competition we finish 8th.......

Just imagine what Ponga will do with a quality spine.....we are 3 high quality players away from a Grand Final IMO

In a way he has done it to himself as well though. Insisting his extremely large salary is all in the cap puts the club to a disadvantage

I could not disagree more. Every successful club has a player or sometimes 2 in the same post code salary wise as Ponga. He is worth every penny he's paid.

The Knights have paid overs for too many in the roster - mid tier journeymen that have reached their ceiling, and overly long contracts to others that are underperforming.

That's the issue.

 

[Alex28]

With arguably the worst halves pairing ( worst spine?) in the competition we finish 8th.......

Just imagine what Ponga will do with a quality spine.....we are 3 high quality players away from a Grand Final IMO


I could not disagree more. Every successful club has a player or sometimes 2 in the same post code salary wise as Ponga. He is worth every penny he's paid.

The Knights have paid overs for too many in the roster - mid tier journeymen that have reached their ceiling, and overly long contracts to others that are underperforming.

That's the issue.

Those players have TPA’s that form part of the salary. KP’s doesn’t.

Disagree all you want. The point remains.

 

[Alex28]

The really frustrating thing is it would be dead easy to get him TPA’s right now - high quality sponsors who would want to throw money at KP. Just not at any of the others.

He needs to buy into the restructure.

 

[Burwood]

Would be good to have a condition in his contract that for every dollar he reduces his contract, he'd get $2 back in TPAs. So instead of having $1.4m guaranteed, he'd be getting $1.2m guaranteed with another $400k on top of that in TPAs. The money isn't guaranteed, but it's a good little gamble when it pays off (which seems to happen for every player in the NRL except Ponga).

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

Those players have TPA’s that form part of the salary. KP’s doesn’t.

Disagree all you want. The point remains.

that's on the club, not KP - there are other players that could be offered 3rd PD ......and let's not pretend clubs have nothing to do with them. That's not dealing with reality.

EDIT - + registered ( official) TPD are very limited. Pales in comparison to the over paying of an unacceptable % of the roster at present.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

Those players have TPA’s that form part of the salary. KP’s doesn’t.

Disagree all you want. The point remains.

Old report (5 yr old) but nonetheless relevant

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/12/13/nrl-crackdown-leads-to-dramatic-drop-in-third-party-deals/

 

[Apey]

All the TPA chat, especially about Ponga not wanting his club-offered salary to include any TPAs, is really taking the piss out of the entire concept, isn't it? I'm not really sure why the NRL continues on with this pretence that they're not organised by the clubs.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

All the TPA chat, especially about Ponga not wanting his club-offered salary to include any TPAs, is really taking the piss out of the entire concept, isn't it? I'm not really sure why the NRL continues on with this pretence that they're not organised by the clubs.

100% ,

I remember when Maloney signed with the Panthers it was delayed more when he ruined it by stating in an interview he was "waiting for the club to sort out the 3rd party deal"

Many commentators only half joke about the Rorters and their brown paper bags....it's obvious to anyone that can add 2+2 that for the Rorters that = 5

 

[ryan.a87]

Thompson suspended for 1 match

dumb question, can he still play for nz in that international comp next month and the pre season trials? And just serve his suspension round 1 next year?

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Pretty sure internationals count against suspensions so he'll miss a game for the Kiwis