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Rumoured Targets 3

B

Bdubs

Juniors
Messages
142
for some reason we are incapable of identifying talent in our juniors and we keep releasing them and paying overs to get other players in to cover the positions they would have played. Its not like we haven't had good juniors coming through

Thats why we are in this situation and our salary caps is a mess
 
O

Old dog

Bench
Messages
2,661
Don’t seem to have seen to many potential 1st graders come through the ranks over the past decade or so. It’s not that we lose them, yes some go elsewhere but few are regulars in NRL. Flegg 2022 is a prime example of a very good side winning a comp but already some have left and some are being signed by Knights either development or full time. Players don’t seem to be ready for grade even though 20yrs of age, we seem more intent with winning Flegg than developing and giving them experience in Cup games the top Flegg players should be ready for Cup while dropping back is an option
 
Knight Tales

Knight Tales

Bench
Messages
3,030
Other clubs have more mud to throw at the wall so to speak. Juniors who fail are replaced by others who work out due to sheer numbers and the law of averages. Our pool is far too small.
 
PhilGould

PhilGould

Bench
Messages
3,469
Wests Tigers star Jackson Hastings and his manager Liam Ayoub have been spotted in Newcastle.

They were not there for a holiday or to check out local real estate, either.

In fact one very good source has told your columnist the pair caught up last week with a man who was the spitting image of Knights general manager of football Peter Parr.

It’s common knowledge the Knights are in the market for a halfback.

Jake Clifford has gone to the UK Super League and Adam Clune struggles compared with the good halves. It’s why they’ve been desperately keen to get Luke Brooks out of the Wests Tigers.

Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens insists Brooks will not be released.

Hastings, however, is a different story.

Sheens is not a fan. He even asked caretaker coach Brett Kimmorley to move Hastings to lock forward last season.

It was a ridiculous positional switch.

Hastings is a halfback and a much better player than Sheens gives him credit for.

He was probably the Wests Tigers’ best player over the entire season.

Yet Sheens has made it blatantly clear he has no future at the club by throwing around multimillion-dollar offers for the likes of Cameron Munster and Mitchell Moses.

Knights assistant coach Andrew Johns is a big fan.

“I think he goes really well,” Johns said, “he went to England to learn his trade and he’s come back a tremendous player.

“Some of his games this year were absolutely sensational.

“I did some work with him years ago at the Roosters.

“I found him to be a really respectable young fella.

“It’s hard for a young halfback at a club with big personalities. It can be intimidating.”

A St George-Illawarra junior, Hastings has played for the Sydney Roosters, Manly, Salford and then Wigan in the UK Super League, the Wests Tigers and now possibly the Knights.

The Knights would become six clubs since he started in 2014 yet he’s still only 26.

He is under contract at the Wests Tigers until the end of next season.

 
Jono078

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,201
I think we all can agree Hastings is literally the best case scenario we could have hoped for with the 2023 season?

I have my concerns but if he joins us then we’ve really recruited some hard nosed no nonsense players in Hastings, Elliott and Hetherington.

He’s also a good goal kicker, right?
 
Mr_Knightside

Mr_Knightside

Juniors
Messages
2,383
Jono078 said:
I think we all can agree Hastings is literally the best case scenario we could have hoped for with the 2023 season?

I have my concerns but if he joins us then we’ve really recruited some hard nosed no nonsense players in Hastings, Elliott and Hetherington.

He’s also a good goal kicker, right?
Click to expand...
Agreed, he’s the best option we could realistically get, he’s a proper half and more importantly he’s a leader who others will follow. If we get Hastings I’d at least feel like 2023 should be an improvement on this year, we’re still probably not a top 8 side but I believe we’d at least get a few more wins on the board.
 
Loose Cannon

Loose Cannon

Bench
Messages
4,068
Hastings at 7 would change the Ponga to 6 narrative, which is our only option atm.

I believe he should switch because he isn’t a fullback who plays as a fullback should, but…

7 Hastings
6 Clune
1 Ponga
14 Gamble,
would be an option I’d be willing to play out. Still short, but better than current possibilities.

Still needs to up his workrate at the back.

Edit: Compared to our current outlook of 7 Gamble/Clune, 6 Ponga, 1 Vacant, 14 Mann.
 
Last edited:
Jono078

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,201
Loose Cannon said:
Hastings at 7 would change the Ponga to 6 narrative, which is our only option atm.

I believe he should switch because he isn’t a fullback who plays as a fullback should, but…

7 Hastings
6 Clune
1 Ponga
14 Gamble,
would be an option I’d be willing to play out. Still short, but better than current possibilities.

Still needs to up his workrate at the back.

Edit: Compared to our current outlook of 7 Gamble/Clune, 6 Ponga, 1 Vacant, 14 Mann.
Click to expand...
Mann will 100% be in the 17 and I still think he's favourite for the #6 jersey.

Either that or AOB keeps him at 13 and plays Elliott on the edge.
 
PhilGould

PhilGould

Bench
Messages
3,469
Newcastle and Wests Tigers are in deep discussions about an immediate potential player swap involving stars Jackson Hastings and David Klemmer.

The Knights are keen on landing Hastings after identifying the former Man of Steel to be their long-term no.7.

While the Tigers have been in talks about signing Klemmer since October. Now the two clubs are in negotiations about how they can make the respective deals work for both parties.

Newcastle originally set their eyes on securing another Wests Tigers half in Luke Brooks. But the Knights have since had a change of heart and view the competitive and on-ball nature of Hastings’ style of play as a perfect complement should they go ahead with plans to switch Kalyn Ponga into the halves.

The Ponga/Hastings combination with Jayden Brailey at hooker looms as a massive upgrade on what Newcastle fielded this year after they failed to replace Mitchell Pearce in the off-season. Brailey and Ponga also dealt with long-term injuries.

The Tigers have made it clear they don’t view Hastings as a half with the club wanting to play him at lock despite their two best performances of the season – wins against Parramatta and South Sydney – coming with Hastings wearing no.7. Three of the four Tigers wins came with Hastings at halfback.

Newcastle have long been reluctant to cut Klemmer free from the final year of his deal – which is worth about $850,000. But such is their need for a genuine half they would be willing to allow Klemmer to take up a multi-year contract at the Tigers if it means they can secure Hastings.

Newcastle are still well serviced up front with the likes of Origin duo Jacob/Daniel Saifiti plus new recruits Jack Hetherington and Adam Elliott.

Given the desire to partner Brooks and Adam Doueihi in the halves and the Tigers willingness to chase the likes of Cameron Munster and Mitchell Moses, Hastings long-term future at the Tigers is uncertain. He has one year left on his deal.

The Tigers are building a world class forward pack. They have already signed representative duo Api Koroisau and Isaiah Papali’i and are now close to landing Klemmer and Englishman John Batmen. It is understood Bateman’s partner – who he met in Canberra – has returned to Australia with their young child. Bateman fell out with the Raiders in his final season at the club in 2020. He is only halfway through a four year deal at Wigan. The Tigers already have the likes of Stefano Utoikamanu, Joe Ofahengaue, Shawn Blore and Alex Twal already on their books.

Klemmer is still only 28 and needs just six games to play 200 first grade matches.

The swap would be the second one for the Tigers after letting Tyrone Peachey go to Penrith in exchange for Charlie Staines.

 
Jono078

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,201
Would it be a straight swap or would Tigers have to unload 2 players to make up for Klemmer's salary?

It's an interesting development. I wonder how everyone would view this swap?

No doubt Klemmer was our player of the year but I also have the feeling we have to move on from him and allocate his 850k wisely to bolster other more important positions.

Also means there's no more time to muck around for the Saifiti's. They have to step up next year.
 
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