Rumoured Targets 3

[Johns Magic]

I think if we have someone lined up for that cheap and is actually as good as Dane on and off the field, then that's probably a fair position. I don't know where that player will come from.

SKD is 370K cheaper and probably even more now.

Aaron Gray is a good centre who would want half Gagai's salary.

You could probably get Gideon Gela-Mosby for 500K less than Gagai.

As I said, just top of my head those names and off-contract.

There have to be more Ricky Leutele's and Nathan Ross's out there providing value in those positions. Pete does for us.

 

[Spot On]

Well I'm extremely happy we will not give a centre of Dane's standard 700K plus.

 

[Hardcore_Fan]

What are their tackle break stats, out of interest?

Which mid range centre??? Who is this guy?

He does do well in tackle breaks. He's on 46 next highest is Ross on 20.

The tackle breaks he makes aren't converted to line breaks or LB assists however.

For Ross's 20 tackle breaks he has 5 line breaks. Compared to gagais 2

 

[Spot On]

Surely those desperately wanting to keep Gags realise the club has made a more than generous offer for him? Can we at least admit that?

 

[Glendale]

Gagai has 1 try, 1 try assist, 2 line breaks and 26 missed tackles (2nd behind lamb) this season.

Pete mat has 3 try's, 2 line breaks, 2 try assists and 2 line breaks and 20 missed tackles.

One of these players will be earning 800k next season. The other 250k..

Quite simply, those stats do not reflect an 800k player. 800k is elite player money. Gagai is easily replaced with a mid range centre.

Gagai hasn't got the ball all year. This comes from the fact our halves struggle to get the ball to him and we haven't had enough go forward to be able to shift wide to him. Also the fact he's tightly marked as he's our only dangerous player and oppositions are aware of that. Giving Pete and Ross more space on the other side. We have got the ball to him once this year vs Bulldogs. Comparing him and P Mats stats is irrelevant. Even if you don't agree, it's market value. You are worth what someone wants to pay you.

I can see both sides of the argument here re offering him big money. But to suggest we are in any way better off on field as a club if we lose our only rep player is ridiculous. That is not what Spots and JM are arguing.

 

[Glendale]

Surely those desperately wanting to keep Gags realise the club has made a more than generous offer for him? Can we at least admit that?

Agreed. If he leaves it's just more bad news heaped on this miserable club. But I can't blame Brown for what he's done here.

 

[perverse]

Surely those desperately wanting to keep Gags realise the club has made a more than generous offer for him? Can we at least admit that?

Defined by what?

 

[Johns Magic]

Gagai hasn't got the ball all year. This comes from the fact our halves struggle to get the ball to him and we haven't had enough go forward to be able to shift wide to him. Also the fact he's tightly marked as he's our only dangerous player and oppositions are aware of that. Giving Pete and Ross more space on the other side. We have got the ball to him once this year vs Bulldogs. Comparing him and P Mats stats is irrelevant. Even if you don't agree, it's market value. You are worth what someone wants to pay you.

I can see both sides of the argument here re offering him big money. But to suggest we are in any way better off on field as a club if we lose our only rep player is ridiculous. That is not what Spots and JM are arguing.

Gagai must have been heavily marked his whole career here because he has never had a great season.

We are talking about making Gagai the highest paid centre in the game. Has he ever been in the frame for Dally M Centre of the Year? I can't remember a year where he would have even been in the top 10?

 

[Hardcore_Fan]

If a good centre is getting starved of the ball he will generally go looking for it, not just stay where he is twiddling his thumbs.

 

[Glendale]

Gagai must have been heavily marked his whole career here because he has never had a great season.

We are talking about making Gagai the highest paid centre in the game. Has he ever been in the frame for Dally M Centre of the Year? I can't remember a year where he would have even been in the top 10?

I agree. Don't think he is ever going to be Inglis or anything. And there are better centres out there (but not any we will get).

But he's a good player who would shine in a better team. I think given the position we are it would just be a shattering blow to lose him right now. That's all.

Also the fact I'd love his loyalty to the club to be repaid. If we ever get success again I'd love for Gagai to be there when we do, he deserves it.

Can absolutely see your point re his price though.

 

[Spot On]

JM, Spots, et al - where are we going to spend the money saved on Gagai in the next few years, when we can't spend the whopping mountain of cash that we've already saved? What is your timeline for fixing this mess now?

Well to quote the greatest coach in rugby league history, who left his own indelible mark at our club, it would take at least 5 years to turn the shit (I meant ship) around.

Spose he knows better than us. Are we prepared to wait that long?? And if not, who do you want to employ to carry out the job after Brown is sacked? (hypothetically)

The positives are that we have pretty much kept the best young junior talent available at the club when Brown arrived plus we have possibly the best young talent in the game coming for the next 4 years to play fullback. We have millions to spend on players and should have more if a solution to the Hodko disaster is found.(not a Brown mistake)

Results have been shit so far this season but again, so has our injury list to players we desperately need on the park. You only need look at some of the drubbings other teams with rep rosters, rosters we could only dream about atm, have put in when a couple key players are out.

 

[Spot On]

Defined by what?

Common f**king sense and the size of the cap next year v the number of players you have to pay and the fact we don't have access to TPA like other clubs. Plus he is a centre. Not a spine player.

I understand market value Pervy. But do we really have to pay that for a centre that, as JM has perfectly pointed out, can be replaced for a lot less.

A few weeks or so back there was a real feel good article about the relationship between Brown and Gags. They have a very close relationship. I would think you have read it. It seemed to me that Brown is acutely aware of all Dane brings to this club both on and off the field and I'm positive he doesn't want to lose him. So if he's at the point where he has made a take or leave it offer, I would assume Brown is still putting the club ahead of individuals which no coach or bloke with the cheque book has done here for f**king years.

I think it speaks volumes about Brown and his belief in what he is doing.

Whether or not it works out in the end I don't know but at least he is following his plan and sticking to the rules he has sets no matter the player in question.

 

[Spot On]

So a few season ago we had Kade Snowden who was highly rated here by some who could never stand out because he had no other props to work with. He was targetted. Then we had Mullo, who some rated as a superstar but could never play to his ability because of no props, He was targetted. Now we have Gags who can never get ball because we have have no halves and he is targetted.

So is our problem that we have no props, no halves or no centres??? Or the blokes around them were overpaid hacks who couldn't get close to doing their jobs??? Or were our "stars" simply not that good but paid like 'stars"?

How the f**k has Nathan Ross stood out so well?

 

[Spot On]

He does do well in tackle breaks. He's on 46 next highest is Ross on 20.

The tackle breaks he makes aren't converted to line breaks or LB assists however.

For Ross's 20 tackle breaks he has 5 line breaks. Compared to gagais 2

Gags pushes off from a lot of defenders, similar to Rapana in that he can push off and is quick and fleet footed enough to have another go at the line and repeat, trying to break the line. Rapana obviously has better results and breaks the line more often being larger and stronger and generally a f**king beast. But it is something Dane has done very well this year and added to his game. He had to make some sort of adjustment as he was being monstered previously.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I've been hearing on here for months that the team needs to invest in a strong spine. Yet those same people are wanting to throw crazy money at a centre..

People on here were blowing up that gags was on 570K per year and that was massive overs. This year he looks like a better player with limited opportunities and all of a sudden his value is over 700K? That's crazy money for a player who has been a speed bump in defense whilst lacking consistency in attack his whole career.

I'd cop the 650K even if it is overs but I wouldn't be too upset if he left. People seam to have short memories.. It wasn't that long ago that we signed Ponga, Kostajasyn and Burher in a short time period and people were becoming optimistic. All of a sudden we have missed out on signing a few players and the razor blades are coming out and a feeling of learned helplessness is overriding the place.

The knights need to chill out, save their money and spend it on players who come onto the market (preferably in positions where we are lacking quality ie the spine and props). Having an approach that is fueled from desperation will get us back to where we were. Paying overs for solid first graders at best and wondering why we are far of the pace.

BTW if you honestly think that losing Gagai is going to result in other players not wanting to come here, then I question your logical reasoning capabilities.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Surely those desperately wanting to keep Gags realise the club has made a more than generous offer for him? Can we at least admit that?

Sure, I'm on board with that

I just disagree that it's not worth offering him a little bit more, around $700k , to stay

It won't break the bank and it won't cost us a chance at any other players. We also get to keep a quality player that loves the club, town etc

 

[Spot On]

I've been hearing on here for months that the team needs to invest in a strong spine. Yet those same people are wanting to throw crazy money at a centre..

People on here were blowing up that gags was on 570K per year and that was massive overs. This year he looks like a better player with limited opportunities and all of a sudden his value is over 700K? That's crazy money for a player who has been a speed bump in defense whilst lacking consistency in attack his whole career.

I'd cop the 650K even if it is overs but I wouldn't be too upset if he left. People seam to have short memories.. It wasn't that long ago that we signed Ponga, Kostajasyn and Burher in a short time period and people were becoming optimistic. All of a sudden we have missed out on signing a few players and the razor blades are coming out and a feeling of learned helplessness is overriding the place.

The knights need to chill out, save their money and spend it on players who come onto the market (preferably in positions where we are lacking quality ie the spine and props). Having an approach that is fueled from desperation will get us back to where we were. Paying overs for solid first graders at best and wondering why we are far of the pace.

BTW if you honestly think that losing Gagai is going to result in other players not wanting to come here, then I question your logical reasoning capabilities.

So good it should be posted again and again and again.

 

[Caped Crusader]

SKD is 370K cheaper and probably even more now.

Aaron Gray is a good centre who would want half Gagai's salary.

You could probably get Gideon Gela-Mosby for 500K less than Gagai.

As I said, just top of my head those names and off-contract.

There have to be more Ricky Leutele's and Nathan Ross's out there providing value in those positions. Pete does for us.

Aaron Gray is most certainly worse than Dane

Mosby is a winger

So in the end we get cheaper, but ultimately worse players

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Sure, I'm on board with that

I just disagree that it's not worth offering him a little bit more, around $700k , to stay

It won't break the bank and it won't cost us a chance at any other players. We also get to keep a quality player that loves the club, town etc

If he genuinely loves the club/town then he'd sign for what he's offered. We are already offering him overs and the difference between what we are paying and Souths are paying will be eaten up 50% or so by tax. After tax the difference may be he takes home 8K per week from us and 9K per week from Souths, meanwhile he'll have higher living expenses living in Sydney.

It's easy to say you are loyal to a place, but actions speak much louder than words.

 

[Spot On]

Sure, I'm on board with that

I just disagree that it's not worth offering him a little bit more, around $700k , to stay

It won't break the bank and it won't cost us a chance at any other players. We also get to keep a quality player that loves the club, town etc

But again, where does it stop with player managers. 50K more from us and then another 50K more from Souths and all of a sudden you just need a little more and then ....

I think Brown has made it clear to player managers that he won't be involved with their bs tactics. We made a reasonable offer (in this case maybe more than reasonable??) and be off with you. If the player truly loves the place and we are talking a 50K difference a season, he stays. We can't just keep matching every counter offer.