Rumoured Targets 3

[Apey]

‘They’re not overly keen to keep me’: Hunt headed for open market as extension talks cool — Whispers

‘They’re not overly keen to keep me’: Hunt lifts lid on Dragons talks, still ‘open’ to QLD move

www.google.com.au

Bit on it here, mostly referencing the Brent Read story.

 

[Knight Tales]

Anasta - "you have a some choices Jonah "

1) Stay in a arguably the best system in the league at the Storm fighting for a Premiership every year, play at a club that is consistently leading the way in best practice and strives for perfection.

Play off the bench for a couple of seasons playing alongside a premium spine as support, before taking the reigns for the next 10 years of your career and retire with a few Premierships, raising your brand value, and improving post football opportunities"

2) Go to arguably the bench mark for mediocrity in the league at the Knights & hopefully make the 8 , play at a club that is consistently turning over staff, and fails at basic press releases. Take the reigns immediately playing alongside average players like Gamble/ Cogger for support and with some luck maybe win a Premiership one day.

Tough choice for the young lad.

Would not surprise if the Broncos come a calling also.





.

So is it you want quality players or just want to go on a rant why they should not come here? Cos most of your posts consist of criticism of how shit our players are, that we need quality in the side and then when we are after those type of players, you list the reasons why they should not be here.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

No mate, f**k this. If you play fullback for the Knights you’re playing behind a really good pack and tossing the ball to a fullback who is arguably the best player in the entire competition, as well as teeing up some lethal outside backs. It should actually be an appealing gig.

Take off those red and blue glasses - The Knights pack strikes fear into the heart of nobody. Average pack, lack of bang for buck and pear shaped the cap, the main reason we just let go of the self proclaimed "alfa male" over paid under performed "leader of the pack" . Shake up long overdue and not finished yet.

Sure the Storm spine players are great, but they fill out their roster with deadset plodders, always have - their spine players carry a disproportionate load there

and perennial title challengers

The Knights would actually be one of the easier clubs in the comp to play in the halves for right now (source: we just made the finals with Jack Cogger and Phoenix Crossland in the gig).

playing in a team barely scrapping into the 8, behind an average pack, with a fringe first grade halves partner ( no mentor ) is certainly not a great selling point for a young half comparative to the Storm.

he turns us down for a “maybe”, potentially giving up over $2 million of career earnings, it’s honestly one of the more baffling decisions made by a young player in recent memory. And Braith would be giving up hundreds of thousands of dollars as his manager and also sort of having him act contrary to his other client Cam Munster - one of the players whose job Jonah could potentially take. It wouldn’t make any sense for him to push for Jonah to stay.

He would easily make up the short fall in the long term, properly groomed with security of a stable professionally run system that's pushing for a title every year. Winning is priceless.

Ditto his manager, much higher profile and prestigious portfolio managing a Storm player, and any short fall recovered from the long term security of a prosperous career at the Storm. Most likely some good sponsorship/TPA down the line also.

Don't get me wrong I'd love to have a high quality half - actually we desperately need 2 halves, and that is a contributing factor to the Knights not being an attractive proposition for a young fella in the Storm system. The 5/8 options are fringe first graders. They could offer big coin that simply cannot be refused, but if he didnt work out they'd be digging themselves out of yet another hole for years to come.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

So is it you want quality players or just want to go on a rant why they should not come here? Cos most of your posts consist of criticism of how shit our players are, that we need quality in the side and then when we are after those type of players, you list the reasons why they should not be here.

Not at all, I just cant see how compared to the Storm the Knights are an attractive proposition for the young fella - and frankly the Knights organization only has itself to blame. Can't even muster a professional process/ press release for their marque signing. Not exactly a great look.

Cos most of your posts consist of criticism of how shit our players are

what? Players I've criticized and mentioned to let go ( long ago mind you) - Dsaf, Brailey, Hetherington, Elliot, Hastings. ( 16% of the roster ?) Cannot see KPP staying beyond next season if his reported salary is correct. - jettison these cap thieves and replace them with young players of a high ceiling potential ( Sully has started this already) and funnel the savings towards retention and most importantly - quality halves.

The rest offer value for the cap expenditure. Lucas is a favorite, Ponga is the arguably the best player of his generation and worth every penny, Best a beast. Gags and Friz invaluable mentors. Marz I rank up there with the best on his day and on a pie and a coke, along with Crossland and Croker are players you wins comps with by consistently exceeding their pay grade.

 

[HarVeeGee]

I don’t think anything is more oversold than the idea good players at top clubs make up salary shortfall with TPA’s, and players at regional clubs don’t get them. You know who makes a f**king killing on TPA’s? Kalyn Ponga. Thurston used to as well.

The only real exception is Brisbane, just being a good Broncos player is like getting a money fountain installed in your house, yet they don’t do as well as the Roosters as a recruitment destination or cap managers for “some reason”.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Not at all, I just cant see how compared to the Storm the Knights are an attractive proposition for the young fella - and frankly the Knights organization only has itself to blame. Can't even muster a professional process/ press release for their marque signing. Not exactly a great look.


what? Players I've criticized and mentioned to let go ( long ago mind you) - Dsaf, Brailey, Hetherington, Elliot, Hastings. ( 16% of the roster ?) Cannot see KPP staying beyond next season if his reported salary is correct. - jettison these cap thieves and replace them with young players of a high ceiling potential ( Sully has started this already) and funnel the savings towards retention and most importantly - quality halves.

The rest offer value for the cap expenditure. Lucas is a favorite, Ponga is the arguably the best player of his generation and worth every penny, Best a beast. Gags and Friz invaluable mentors. Marz I rank up there with the best on his day and on a pie and a coke, along with Crossland and Croker are players you wins comps with by consistently exceeding their pay grade.

We’re not actually that far apart in terms of how the roster should be managed (I like KPP but it’s too much money for example), I just think the most likely road to an elite halfback is taking a big money punt on someone with high potential. Like Pezet. It’s way harder and more unlikely that we’ll somehow get Mitch Moses to request a release with us in mind for example.

 

[slotmachine]

You know who makes a f**king killing on TPA’s? Kalyn Ponga

Ah no, his dad actually demanded every cent be under the cap for his current deal because they were burnt on sponsors not paying up.

 

[Woody90]

Ah no, his dad actually demanded every cent be under the cap for his current deal because they were burnt on sponsors not paying up.

Pretty sure KP would get a heap of TPAs on top of a full salary from the Knights like you said.

 

[Woody90]

Not at all, I just cant see how compared to the Storm the Knights are an attractive proposition for the young fella

If you removed your blind Knights hatred glasses for a bit you’d see quite a lot. This coming from someone that doesn’t really care if we sign Pezet or not.

The most obvious one being he’d be close to 25 by the time either Hughes retires or his contract ends. If you’re a half it takes a long time to learn your craft playing consistently in the NRL - by the time he establishes a name for himself he may get a few years if he’s lucky to earn peak potential (if he’s lucky enough to even get that far, a lot don’t and he’s already copped one ACL).

 

[slotmachine]

Pretty sure KP would get a heap of TPAs on top of a full salary from the Knights like you said.

Yeah, but in the context of clubs having an advantage with TPAs, the knights don't get any benefit from KPs marketability when his salary is all under the cap.

As for Pezet, I don't think it's so cut and dried. If the Storm have told him an early release isn't happening, and there is a get out clause if Hughes extends, Pezet is only giving up 2026. With the offset that he gets to develop in the best NRL system and is one Hughes injury away from probably playing in a GF.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Ah no, his dad actually demanded every cent be under the cap for his current deal because they were burnt on sponsors not paying up.

That is not how it was resolved. The third party sponsor just ended up paying what was owed.

He has other deals on top of that one.

 

[slotmachine]

Knights wary of Roosters raid as third party speaks out over Ponga deal

Knights officials fear an approach to the NRL by Andre Ponga to seek clarity on contractual issues could be the first steps in a plan to extract Kalyn from the club.

www.smh.com.au

He does not have any TPAs now, having wanted all income registered under the cap rather than from external sources when he re-signed.

 

[Yosh]

Pezet is most likely coming in 2026 and he ain't going to be good enough to really make an impact for another 2 or 3 years after he arrives anyway.

We need Moses. He will make an immediate impact. The other half position can Cogger or Gamble. Doesn't really matter. Moses is great down the right and Ponga is more left sided. Probably never going to happen but that's the sort of signing we need right now.

The other half I'd take is Trindall. Good kicking game, leads the team around the park well and is a great support player.

Pezet would be a nice get but he ain't going to take us from 8th to top 2. Moses might.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

If you removed your blind Knights hatred glasses for a bit you’d see quite a lot. This coming from someone that doesn’t really care if we sign Pezet or not.

The most obvious one being he’d be close to 25 by the time either Hughes retires or his contract ends. If you’re a half it takes a long time to learn your craft playing consistently in the NRL - by the time he establishes a name for himself he may get a few years if he’s lucky to earn peak potential (if he’s lucky enough to even get that far, a lot don’t and he’s already copped one ACL).

I'm a realist.

As I posted earlier the Storm are pro's they will certainly have these pieces of the spine puzzle anticipated years ago, with a main strategy and contingency plans B and C just for good measure. They will offer the lad an attractive pathway and financial package - You don't become that successful flying by the seat of your pants -. This is what professionals look like.

I certainly don't care for players not offering cap value at a bare minimum and don't care for fantasy points when assessing value either.

To get Pezet over the line the Knights will have to make him an offer he cant refuse , this will come with risk and I dont think we have the cash as we have yet to jettison all the cap thieves.

 

[HarVeeGee]

If there was even an inkling of Moses being available anything should be on the table to get him. But there isn’t.

Knights wary of Roosters raid as third party speaks out over Ponga deal

Knights officials fear an approach to the NRL by Andre Ponga to seek clarity on contractual issues could be the first steps in a plan to extract Kalyn from the club.

www.smh.com.au

Can’t read the whole article but I’m almost certain Baz said this wasn’t true.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

Pezet is most likely coming in 2026 and he ain't going to be good enough to really make an impact for another 2 or 3 years after he arrives anyway.

We need Moses. He will make an immediate impact. The other half position can Cogger or Gamble. Doesn't really matter. Moses is great down the right and Ponga is more left sided. Probably never going to happen but that's the sort of signing we need right now.

The other half I'd take is Trindall. Good kicking game, leads the team around the park well and is a great support player.

Pezet would be a nice get but he ain't going to take us from 8th to top 2. Moses might.

if I dare to dream. Moses would make us an instant force. He's that good. There is however the small issue of cash.......few players to go just yet before we can afford decent halves.

 

[HarVeeGee]

I'm a realist.

As I posted earlier the Storm are pro's they will certainly have these pieces of the spine puzzle anticipated years ago, with a main strategy and contingency plans B and C just for good measure. They will offer the lad an attractive pathway and financial package - You don't become that successful flying by the seat of your pants -. This is what professionals look like.

I actually think this is wrong and there’s a bit of a chicken and egg thing at the Storm. They didn’t plan for three all time great players born within 2 months of each other to lob up at the club at the same time years in advance. It doesn’t matter how well you plan things, a decade and a half of continuity with the greatest 9, 7 and 1 combo of all time is luck. Cameron Smith never getting injured is luck. They didn’t even think Cooper Cronk was a halfback.

Cooper, Billy and then Cam retiring in a neat order wasn’t planned at all - in fact they were filthy with Cooper for leaving and going to their biggest rival, and they also tried to sign Mitchell Pearce in revenge, people forget this - but it allowed them the luxury of gradually blooding replacements, who they’d stashed away in QCup learning their trade for a year or two beforehand. The luxury of patience is something that fell in their lap.

They didn’t even plan for Jahrome Hughes to be a halfback. They thought Brodie Croft was their man. They put Jahrome there so Pappy could play 1, and a good player who’s not a halfback was a better option at 7 than Brodie who turned out to just be bad, especially when your main man is the best playmaking hooker ever. Jahrome then turning himself into - in my opinion - the fourth best halfback in the game - yes, it’s luck. They didn’t predict it.

I won’t deny that they’ve played the hand they’ve been dealt quite well, but when it’s a really good hand, it’s easier to play.

Conversely, where do I start with the random shit which has bit the Knights in the arse over the past decade or so? A lot of it is poor management, but we can not catch a break at all with any merkin we sign to play in the spine seemingly (except Kalyn and reliable depth pieces like Gamble).

 

[Apey]

Can’t read the whole article but I’m almost certain Baz said this wasn’t true.

The timeline never really made much sense to me. He signed his contract in 2022, the TPA payment allegedly owed was 2020 - 2022, nothing came out about it in the media until mid-2024 when Andre was apparently complaining about it. So they went back two years and retroactively signed a contract with no TPAs? Or nobody in the media got a whiff of the issue until two years later?

 

[Apey]

I actually think this is wrong and there’s a bit of a chicken and egg thing at the Storm. They didn’t plan for three all time great players born within 2 months of each other to lob up at the club at the same time years in advance. It doesn’t matter how well you plan things, a decade and a half of continuity with the greatest 9, 7 and 1 combo of all time is luck. Cameron Smith never getting injured is luck. They didn’t even think Cooper Cronk was a halfback.

Cooper, Billy and then Cam retiring in a neat order wasn’t planned at all - in fact they were filthy with Cooper for leaving and going to their biggest rival, and they also tried to sign Mitchell Pearce in revenge, people forget this - but it allowed them the luxury of gradually blooding replacements, who they’d stashed away in QCup learning their trade for a year or two beforehand. The luxury of patience is something that fell in their lap.

They didn’t even plan for Jahrome Hughes to be a halfback. They thought Brodie Croft was their man. They put Jahrome there so Pappy could play 1, and a good player who’s not a halfback was a better option at 7 than Brodie who turned out to just be bad, especially when your main man is the best playmaking hooker ever. Jahrome then turning himself into - in my opinion - the fourth best halfback in the game - yes, it’s luck. They didn’t predict it.

I won’t deny that they’ve played the hand they’ve been dealt quite well, but when it’s a really good hand, it’s easier to play.

Conversely, where do I start with the random shit which has bit the Knights in the arse over the past decade or so? A lot of it is poor management, but we can not catch a break at all with any merkin we sign to play in the spine seemingly (except Kalyn and reliable depth pieces like Gamble).

You seem to have a bit of a bee in your bonnet about the Storm yet essentially praised the Panthers for doing a similar thing a few posts above. Not really sure where you're coming from. It's pretty clear they've done a decent job down there of replacing their all-time greats. Putting it down to largely luck for the Storm is very silly, especially what Bellamy has done with Hughes.

 

[slotmachine]

Yeah, having a constant production line of rep calibre spine players isn't luck.

And they've now got faalogo, wishart and Pezet waiting in the wings.