Rumoured Targets 3

[Johns Magic]

If I was looking to come to the club, and saw that they dropped their half for a nobody I'd be thinking that the club is a massive shitshow and wouldn't give us another thought.

If we had a Nathan Cleary killing it in the lower grades? Sure. But we don't.

We have to play the patient long game that we started this year when we underspent our salary cap for a reason.

Yeah I'm reluctantly on board with this. With no other real option I think we have to stick with Trent. If Cogger was around and killing reggies then maybe different but he isn't.

Better to have the facade that we are a decent team at least on paper. I'm not sure if it will really matter to any prospective signing but Feeney will be out the door after this contract anyway so no point blooding him out of spite to still run last.

My gripe the other day was that he can't be here for 2018.

 

[Knight76]

Yes pretty much. Reluctantly on board is about as good as it gets. I'm reluctantly a Hodkinson/Brown apologist

 

[Noname36]

I think the stability angle putting off potential recruits angle is complete nonsense tbqh.

It's not about stability at all in my view.

It's about how much of a daunting/shit task coming here would seem to potential half signings if our senior half is dropped for f**king Feeney who has somehow managed to play even worse than Hodkinson despite being in an easier grade.

Coming here would already seem very daunting given the lack of quality/experience in the side without the prospect of getting dropped for a Newcastle RL standard footballer if you couldn't fire under the on field conditions here.

Like others have already said things would be much different if we had some blokes in the lower grades actually pushing for selection so dropping him could be easily justified but we don't.

 

[perverse]

But of course you have all the answers, did you lodge your resume with the Knights when Bennett left? lmao.

You can't convince me that having Hodkinson in our team for another moment is a good idea. That's fine, we don't have to agree on this. I don't need to want to coach the Knights to disagree with you, although that would be good for your ego. Maybe you can conduct the interviews.

There has never been a moment in history where I wanted this man in the team. Not before we signed him, not after, and not now. My opinion really hasn't changed at all except that my patience has well and truly gone with Trent. I'm not necessarily inclined to change my mind on this poisonous toad of a man because you or others disagree with me without what I consider a compelling argument to keep a gangrenous limb attached. Your reasons stretch all the way from team stability - there is barely any already, to outside optics - which are already about as bad as they can be. When someone says we can't sack Trent because others will think we're a basketcase - it feels like putting lipstick on a 47 year old hairy trucker and shopping her/him to your mates - and that's how I feel most players would see it too. I think we can do without that. I understand your points of view, but I just don't find them to be good enough reasons to watch this moron mishandle another game for us.

At the end of the day I can see a bit of pride returning to the jersey, and watching Hodkinson fumble around the field every week undermines it. It's about the integrity of the jersey. We don't and shouldn't cop bludgers not pulling their weight anymore. That is the old way. I would prefer someone out there that can give 100% - whoever that is, it really doesn't matter..

I don't mind disagreeing with you on this. I'm pretty much done with the discussion because it's not really going anywhere and we're arguing over the petty difference between a gangrenous limb and a bloody stump. I think I can sleep at night with that conflict unresolved. Of course I applied for the head coach gig, the team needed a savior.

 

[Sacrolishes]

Kindly start another thread for the Hodgkinson talk.

So can we get back to actual "Rumored Targets" conversations?

Knights clearly need a couple mid year signings. Back up half would be great, I have zero idea of who would be available there though, another hooker is needed b4 seasons end to replace Kos. He is a huge loss and was the perfect mound for Levi to interchange with. Experienced hooker known to control the ruck well.

And a couple frontrowers. Just to add some more depth to take pressure off Saiffitis and co.

 

[Apey]

It's not about stability at all in my view.

It's about how much of a daunting/shit task coming here would seem to potential half signings if our senior half is dropped for f**king Feeney who has somehow managed to play even worse than Hodkinson despite being in an easier grade.

Coming here would already seem very daunting given the lack of quality/experience in the side without the prospect of getting dropped for a Newcastle RL standard footballer if you couldn't fire under the on field conditions here.

Like others have already said things would be much different if we had some blokes in the lower grades actually pushing for selection so dropping him could be easily justified but we don't.

Instead we should give prospective halves the impression they don't actually have to do anything? Their position will be guaranteed each week regardless.

If any potential half signing is worried they might get dropped for a plodder then I don't want them anywhere near the club anyway. What does that say about their confidence. They'd have to be pretty awful to think that's even a possibility for them.

As for the basket case angle others have raised, I can't do much else but laugh. Not dropping the worst player in our team isnt going to convince anyone we're not a basket case.

I guess in Browns defence here he must know how ridiculously awful Hodkinson is that dropping him won't actually accomplish anything for Hodko. What we're getting must be him at his A game. His best output.

 

[Yosh]

Foran needs to happen, so make it happen. Pay the man whatever he wants plus 100k a year. Make it happen.

 

[Hardcore_Fan]

Yeah. Throw everything we have at foran. Macavity should chuck in $50k in TPA's for Foran to advertise his businesses too.

 

[macavity]

Yeah. Throw everything we have at foran. Macavity should chuck in $50k in TPA's for Foran to advertise his businesses too.

Can I spend your money too?

 

[Glendale]

Rothfield reckons Foran will come to us

 

[Johns Magic]

You can't convince me that having Hodkinson in our team for another moment is a good idea. That's fine, we don't have to agree on this. I don't need to want to coach the Knights to disagree with you, although that would be good for your ego. Maybe you can conduct the interviews.

There has never been a moment in history where I wanted this man in the team. Not before we signed him, not after, and not now. My opinion really hasn't changed at all except that my patience has well and truly gone with Trent. I'm not necessarily inclined to change my mind on this poisonous toad of a man because you or others disagree with me without what I consider a compelling argument to keep a gangrenous limb attached. Your reasons stretch all the way from team stability - there is barely any already, to outside optics - which are already about as bad as they can be. When someone says we can't sack Trent because others will think we're a basketcase - it feels like putting lipstick on a 47 year old hairy trucker and shopping her/him to your mates - and that's how I feel most players would see it too. I think we can do without that. I understand your points of view, but I just don't find them to be good enough reasons to watch this moron mishandle another game for us.

At the end of the day I can see a bit of pride returning to the jersey, and watching Hodkinson fumble around the field every week undermines it. It's about the integrity of the jersey. We don't and shouldn't cop bludgers not pulling their weight anymore. That is the old way. I would prefer someone out there that can give 100% - whoever that is, it really doesn't matter..

I don't mind disagreeing with you on this. I'm pretty much done with the discussion because it's not really going anywhere and we're arguing over the petty difference between a gangrenous limb and a bloody stump. I think I can sleep at night with that conflict unresolved. Of course I applied for the head coach gig, the team needed a savior.

I just don't want to create a Tigers-Farah situation which could get ugly when we don't actually have a better option to replace him with.

Feeney has not impressed me in the slightest.

I think the right way to go about it is give Trent a tap on the shoulder now and sort something out behind the scenes to be gone at year's end.

I'm saying this when he's stinking it up next week on the field I'm sure I'll be wishing he was gone immediately. I also think there is plenty of merit in your view.

If we were to get rid of him now I'd be going with Randell not Feeney.

 

[Hardcore_Fan]

Rothfield reckons Foran will come to us

Why does he think that

 

[Johns Magic]

Rothfield reckons Foran will come to us

Was this in an article you can link? I like to assess the statement for tone

 

[Glendale]

 

[Pedge1971]

Rothfield reckons Foran will come to us

Then we are no chance lol.

 

[Glendale]

Then we are no chance lol.

Haha, true. But isn't he good friends with Foran?

 

[mozza91]

Rothfield is essentially that drunk bloke at the pub who tells stories that are obviously made up. The bloke at the pub is more sober and easier to understand though.

 

[Pedge1971]

Rothfield is essentially that drunk bloke at the pub who tells stories that are obviously made up. The bloke at the pub is more sober and easier to understand though.

And knows more about rugby league!

 

[Johns Magic]

Foran met Brown on the Central Coast on Sunday. This Toohey article doesn't give much away but meeting in person is the first step.

THEY were beaten to the punch by Brisbane for the signature of Jack Bird.

But the Newcastle Knights aren’t about to give up the fight for a marquee signing to bolster the struggling club with Warriors playmaker Kieran Foran the latest star to emerge as a potential target.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Foran met with Newcastle coach Nathan Brown on the Central Coast on Sunday, less than 24 hours after the Warriors took on the Raiders in Canberra, to talk about the possibility of the Kiwi international becoming a figurehead of the Knights’ rebuild in 2018.

Their meeting came just days after Warriors teammate Ben Matulino made a flying visit to Newcastle for a look around the city and preliminary discussions regarding his future.

Brown confirmed the Foran meeting when contacted on Monday but suggested he is none the wiser about his future plans.

“We met up on the Central Coast and had a chat but honestly, whether living in Newcastle is a genuine option for Kieran, I don’t know,” Brown said.

“Only time will answer that.”

The Knights certainly have the financial clout to land a big fish like Foran.

They are believed to be well under the salary cap this season and will have around a further $900,000 freed up next year with Jarrod Mullen facing a drugs ban.

Their offer to Bird was close to $1 million a season over three years and the club may even be prepared to go a little higher than that to try and secure Foran’s signature.

But ultimately, it may not come down to money with the likes of the Bulldogs and Wests Tigers other potential suitors.

The suggestion is family considerations will be paramount in whatever decision he makes with Foran looking at a move back to Sydney to be closer to his two children Emerson and Jordan, who live on the northern beaches with his former partner Rebecca Pope.

Whether living in Newcastle becomes a viable option from a family perspective with Foran’s mother residing on the Central Coast remains to be seen but the Knights want to give themselves every chance.

After snaring young Cowboys star Kayln Ponga, the club made overtures to both Cowboys prop Matt Scott and Melbourne Storm backrower Dale Finucane with both players deciding to remain at their current clubs.

They had a serious crack at Sharks prop Matt Prior only to see him re-sign with Cronulla before the Bird negotiations ended with the Origin star favouring a move to the Broncos.

They have expressed an interest in Canterbury prop James Graham should he be released from the final year of his contract by the Bulldogs.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...d/news-story/1be9bc1993459dc17ac6479209c4baa1

 

[Miller was a legend]

I hope you guys do get Foran. As long as he is switch on, on the field and his head is clear off it, it would be great for Newcastle.