Rumoured Targets 3

[Burwood]

Oryn Keeley signed by the dolphins.

 

[aqua_duck]

Oryn Keeley signed by the dolphins.

Disappointing, he may or may not amount to anything in the long run but we’ve invested abit of time into him. Not sure why the Dolphins though given they’ve got Kaufusi, Bromwich and Lemuelu all signed up till end of 2025

 

[perverse]

Another one of our top forward prospects out the door, in a time of need in the forwards. A 10 game winning streak grants you a lot of credibility, but it's going to annoy me if we have to watch these blokes run around for other teams while our pack continues to struggle.

 

[Old dog]

Keeley has potential but likely a season still needed to mature, is a bad loss though

 

[HarVeeGee]

Disappointing, he may or may not amount to anything in the long run but we’ve invested abit of time into him. Not sure why the Dolphins though given they’ve got Kaufusi, Bromwich and Lemuelu all signed up till end of 2025

We’ve got Frizell, Lucas, KPP, and Jed Cartwright all signed up till the end of 2025 at least, and Lucas/KPP are both in their early 20’s. Kaufusi and Bromwich are both over 30 and this may be their last contract in the NRL in both cases. So the offer from The would include a top 30 spot and a pretty clear pathway to a guaranteed starting spot by the time he’s 22-23. Our offer is a guaranteed development deal and an uncertain future beyond that.

Take comfort in Oryn being the guy The are settling for because we beat them to KPP, and Lucas really taking to the back row in his chances so far and looking first grade ready right now, which fits our needs. Maybe things would be different if Dylan didn’t look like a better player and a potential long term first grader the second we moved him to the back row, but he does, so that’s how things are.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Hastings & Gamble created space for their outside men at a high level all season. Cogger did it in the final 20 minutes of a game coming off the bench with fresh legs. It's much better than him shitting the bed in the same scenario but it shouldn't change the plans. Hopefully he carries that over and our NSW Cup team can not be a joke for once.

This. Clune was our best player in NSW Cup, but his playing style is a bit more end product-based and the way he combined with Kalyn hasn’t felt as natural and complimentary as Hastings/Gamble’s combination with them. Cogger is another guy like those two who bases his game more around improving the attack as a whole by straightening and creating space for others. I think what the club wants is for the NSW Cup team to play the same way as first grade, and Cogger is the right man for that, as well as someone who has done his job admirably in high pressure games & therefore puts pressure on our first grade halves too.

I think also if the club believes in Pryce as a potential five-eighth and wants to try that, Cogger is someone who can help him acclimatise to NRL structures a bit better than Clune can. I’ve heard people rave about Cogger’s professionalism and preparation and while I’m not saying Clune is unprofessional, I think there’s an element of him being a guy who’s learned a few tricks which work really well on bad NSW Cup defences but not someone who consistently makes the kinds of decisions you want in first grade. Also he’s probably the worst half in the comp defensively whereas Cogger is quite capable on that end.

Cogger would have been on the minimum at Penrith and it’s unlikely he’s getting much more than that from us, but three guaranteed top 30 years as a professional player in the NRL would have been hard for him to take down. It’s not surprising to me that we worked out a deal like that with him - what baffles me is that Souths didn’t make him a better offer to be a guy to put pressure on “Redfern Luke Brooks” AKA Lachlan Ilias.

 

[Knight Tales]

Another one of our top forward prospects out the door, in a time of need in the forwards. A 10 game winning streak grants you a lot of credibility, but it's going to annoy me if we have to watch these blokes run around for other teams while our pack continues to struggle.

I think there is a ceiling we are not willing to pay above for prospects, and that is encouraging as well. There is a much more patient approach. The overs for top talent, will be an issue for us for the foreseeable future, but it is slowly improving.

 

[mozza91]

Keeley looks a very good defensive player but doesn’t offer a lot in attack. I think we’ve got better prospects and it’s not that much of a loss.

 

[Woody90]

Keeley looks a very good defensive player but doesn’t offer a lot in attack. I think we’ve got better prospects and it’s not that much of a loss.

Yeah he needs to fill out a bit too.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Oryn Keeley signed by the dolphins.

I've only seen that reported by the Mole so far...

 

[Burwood]

I've only seen that reported by the Mole so far...

Young gun Oryn Keeley to join the Dolphins in 24'

The Dolphins have nabbed a young forward of the future with the signing of Newcastle Knights player Oryn Keeley.

www.dolphinsnrl.com.au

 

[aqua_duck]

We’ve got Frizell, Lucas, KPP, and Jed Cartwright all signed up till the end of 2025 at least, and Lucas/KPP are both in their early 20’s. Kaufusi and Bromwich are both over 30 and this may be their last contract in the NRL in both cases. So the offer from The would include a top 30 spot and a pretty clear pathway to a guaranteed starting spot by the time he’s 22-23. Our offer is a guaranteed development deal and an uncertain future beyond that.

Take comfort in Oryn being the guy The are settling for because we beat them to KPP, and Lucas really taking to the back row in his chances so far and looking first grade ready right now, which fits our needs. Maybe things would be different if Dylan didn’t look like a better player and a potential long term first grader the second we moved him to the back row, but he does, so that’s how things are.

I forgot about Cartwright but you’re spot on with Lucas. Keeley looks like he’ll develop into a solid backrower perhaps similar to in calibre to someone like Teig Wilton but Lucas has the potential to be a real attacking threat

 

[PhilGould]

Keeley isn't the typical big, explosive edge back-rower but he has been an X factor player in attack all through the juniors. Great footwork, good leg speed and the ability to pass/offload means he can beat you in a few ways. By no means a Brodie Jones-esque tackling bag. Raiders era John Bateman is the player he has reminded me of the most.

Only played 40 odd minutes of first grade so far but if you go back and watch Dom's cartwheel try it was Keeley making a half break with his footwork and then throwing back an offload while falling to the ground that got it started. He just makes weird shit happen in attack, has a knack for showing up in big moments in defence and has been touted as a leader all through the grades - captaining Harold Matts & SG Ball, and being picked as u/19's NSW player of the series last year over some much more hyped prospects.

It's possible his size prevents him from reaching any great heights in first grade but as of right now it's a bad loss. Clearly Wayne believes he's worth a longterm deal too.

 

[PhilGould]

Also to compare him to Dylan Lucas (who is also small for a back-rower) - he’s 3 years younger and a considerably better prospect than Lucas was at the same age.

 

[Yosh]

Hopefully we sign a big lad who is already a first grader and can fit right in!

 

[Yosh]

Apparently Rugby has dropped Angus Crichton and so he isn't going. Should we swoop??

 

[Knight Tales]

Apparently Rugby has dropped Angus Crichton and so he isn't going. Should we swoop??

He is too inconsistent and the money he wants is excessive. Great player when he is on but can be an anchor when he is not. Also a penalty magnet. Seems to go rogue when frustrated and forgets it is a team sport.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Also maybe it’s a bit shit to note this but Gus struggles with pretty serious mental health issues which have in the past resulted in long leaves of absence from pre-season and other training. This more than anything I think is responsible for his decline as a player. Not saying that if we had a player in that situation I’d think we should bin him or something, but I think it definitely affects his market value and how keen we should be to bring him in.

 

[macavity]

Losing Keeley and keeping Brodie Jones is peak Knights.

 

[Woosh]

So you are virtually saying Cogger is better 7 than Hastings and Hastings is a better 13 than Elliott or at the least a better fit

It didn’t take long ..

FORMER Knights coaching guru Allan Bell has hailed Jack Cogger as the "unsung hero" of Penrith's premiership triumph and predicts he will establish himself in Newcastle's starting line-up next season.

Bell, who served as assistant to Knights foundation coach Allan McMahon and his successor David Waite and worked more recently as a consultant to Rick Stone, believes Cogger turned last week's grand final when he came off the bench to replace Jarome Luai early in the second half.

Trailing 24-8 against Brisbane, the Panthers staged a remarkable comeback to win 26-24 and secure their third consecutive title. And while Nathan Cleary was rightfully hailed as the architect of one of the great escapes in rugby league history, Bell said his heroics would not have been possible without Cogger.

He said the 26-year-old "took a great deal of heat off Cleary" after the Panthers lost Luai to a shoulder injury and lock Isaah Yeo to a head knock.

"Cogger showed that he is a very smart player who understands the game very well," Bell told the Newcastle Herald. "He provided a new and additional threat alongside Cleary in all the aspects of good inside-back play.

"Plus, Cogger and Cleary were on the same page in all that they did ... accordingly the quality of Penrith's attacking play improved."

Bell said the Cleary-Cogger combination reminded him of Knights legends Andrew and Matthew Johns.

Cogger, who kicked off his NRL career at the Knights as an 18-year-old in 2016 before stints with Canterbury, Huddersfield and Penrith, is returning to Newcastle on a three-year contract.

And while Jackson Hastings and Tyson Gamble established themselves this season as the club's first-choice halves, Bell predicted Cogger would cause selection headaches for Knights coach Adam O'Brien.

Bell felt that all three playmakers could potentially feature in Newcastle's starting line-up.

"I think Jackson Hastings could play lock with Cogger at halfback," Bell said.

"That would give them another ballplayer.

"Jack Cogger has a really good skill set for a halfback and he understands his role within the team game and the team structures.

"I reckon he'll make a great contribution for the Knights over the next few years."

Cogger is likely to have a head-start on Hastings during the pre-season as the latter recovers from his second bout of major surgery to repair a fractured ankle.

It is unlikely that Hastings will be able to resume running for several months and Newcastle's medical staff are expected to take a cautious approach to his recovery and rehabilitation.

Why grand final hero Jack Cogger will be vital for the Knights

'I reckon he'll make a great contribution for the Knights over the next few years.'

www.newcastleherald.com.au