Rumoured Targets 3

[Noname36]

Yeah, it's just a bit weird to me that he didn't take his last opportunity to leave, but this one (a far inferior one, on the surface anyway) is the goods.

Yeah I agree it's weird. Maybe there's something in what Syd Knight mentioned about there being big dollar opportunities for Indigenous players at Souths. Either that or Inglis knows he's on his last legs and has gotten in his ear. Or hell maybe he just wants to play fullback which again strange because he plays his best at centre.

 

[Glendale]

It's obvious that Souths have come up with a bid he can't refuse. Forget what they say about $2.1 mill over 3 years. It's oviously more then that otherwise he'd be staying here. It's probably 2.1 on the cap, but the bits that aren't on the cap blow Knights out of the water and he'll earn way more at Souths. His quotes this year in regards to the club and wanting to stay give no indication he would move, especially to a club not majorly better off then us.

I wish him the best I really do. But I can see us overtaking Souths in a few years. And him regretting this decision. I've said it before but if we ever get succesfull again I would love Dane to be here when we are. Given he is the only bloke that stuck around for the shit years. It seems like a waste for him to stay through all these tough years for the Knights and then leave before it gets good. But if he leaves then all the best to him.

 

[perverse]

Yeah I agree it's weird. Maybe there's something in what Syd Knight mentioned about there being big dollar opportunities for Indigenous players at Souths. Either that or Inglis knows he's on his last legs and has gotten in his ear. Or hell maybe he just wants to play fullback which again strange because he plays his best at centre.

He's also been trying to crack centre for the QLD team for years. The fullback thing doesn't add up for me, either. Inglis could surely be a factor, and there's not much you can say against wanting to play with one of your idols.

I just can't help but think that Dane has gotten as far as he has with us, it's familiar. Souths don't seem to be going anywhere, but they easily could have sold him on the thought of a premiership before he retires. It wouldn't be that hard to get him in a room and convince him he's way better chance there than here.

Chasing success is the only thing that makes a whole lot of sense to me. I would just say to Dane that I hope he's not making the wrong judgement call on that.

 

[Johns Magic]

Maybe Gagai didn't take the Broncos opportunity but took this one because unlike Korbin he is a man and would rather see out his contract than abandon a sinking ship that needed him.

 

[Spot On]

I also find it slightly weird Gags is choosing to go to Souths of all clubs. I must agree that the real dollar value must well above what is being reported.

If it were Mlb or a perennial strong club with a coach like Bellamy offering similar dollars then he should jump. No brainer.

Bit like Rochow telling us not to make him an offer then taking a 1 yr deal to Souths where he hardly plays?????

Bizarre.

I'm sure it will come out in the end.

Best of luck to him. May just need a change. Can't blame him.

 

[Apey]

I think Gagai's input to our team has been considerably overrated but if the flip side is signing SKD I'm not sure where I stand. The guy is an out and out idiot; he feels like BJ without half the upside.

 

[Noname36]

He's also been trying to crack centre for the QLD team for years. The fullback thing doesn't add up for me, either. Inglis could surely be a factor, and there's not much you can say against wanting to play with one of your idols.

I just can't help but think that Dane has gotten as far as he has with us, it's familiar. Souths don't seem to be going anywhere, but they easily could have sold him on the thought of a premiership before he retires. It wouldn't be that hard to get him in a room and convince him he's way better chance there than here.

Chasing success is the only thing that makes a whole lot of sense to me. I would just say to Dane that I hope he's not making the wrong judgement call on that.

I've heard him say on a few occasions that winning a premiership elsewhere wouldn't feel close to winning one with the Knights but seeing all his mates take off for greener pastures when the going got tough and seeing nobody want to sign here would surely have a big impact on his decision to hang around and confidence in the Knights winning one before his careers out.

Even if most decent league judges can't see Souths winning anything at least they have the pull of Inglis/Burgess so they can use them in their sales pitch that a comp would at least be possible. We don't have that because nobody will give us a shot.

 

[mozza91]

I think Gagai's input to our team has been considerably overrated but if the flip side is signing SKD I'm not sure where I stand. The guy is an out and out idiot; he feels like BJ without half the upside.

It's the height of stupidity if true. He's a shit bloke and even worse footballer. Gray would be a much better option.

 

[Glendale]

It's very sad that this part of the game is dying though. There is no "loyalty" anymore. Seeing the likes of Woods, Tedesco and Moses completely abandoning a club that gave them everything really makes you hate the current reality of the NRL.

Let's take the last two premiership winning captains, Thurston and Gallen. Plenty of lean years there for both men. But both stuck through the hard times and when they finally got there to hand their respective clubs their first ever title, in their 30s. And the satisfaction of winning that one with that club is far greater then if they had abandoned ship and gone to another club. Gagai can win one with Souths, but will it feel anywhere near as good as winning one with us?

Similarly for fans of clubs, it means more seeing your juniors or players you discovered and developed win the comp then buying a team full of mercenaries. Yeah sure it's great to win a comp, but who do feel more of a connection to, Wayne Bennet and Darius Boyd or Nathan Brown and Sione Mata'utia?

 

[Johns Magic]

It's very sad that this part of the game is dying though. There is no "loyalty" anymore. Seeing the likes of Woods, Tedesco and Moses completely abandoning a club that gave them everything really makes you hate the current reality of the NRL.

Let's take the last two premiership winning captains, Thurston and Gallen. Plenty of lean years there for both men. But both stuck through the hard times and when they finally got there to hand their respective clubs their first ever title, in their 30s. And the satisfaction of winning that one with that club is far greater then if they had abandoned ship and gone to another club. Gagai can win one with Souths, but will it feel anywhere near as good as winning one with us?

Similarly for fans of clubs, it means more seeing your juniors or players you discovered and developed win the comp then buying a team full of mercenaries. Yeah sure it's great to win a comp, but who do feel more of a connection to, Wayne Bennet and Darius Boyd or Nathan Brown and Sione Mata'utia?

Nice post. I have said before, I would rather watch this current mob play than the Bennett years.

 

[Burwood]

What I'm struggling to get my head around is the lifestyle choice he has made- from the get go he has said how much he loves the region. A million dollars goes a long way towards a nice house and a short walk to the beach in Newcastle. In Sydney he'll be paying twice as much for half as much.

If he was going to a club that was a premiership contender in the next year or two I could somewhat understand, but souths are going through a poor period as well- I can't see them being anything more than a 6-10th placed team.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

It's obvious that Souths have come up with a bid he can't refuse. Forget what they say about $2.1 mill over 3 years. It's oviously more then that otherwise he'd be staying here. It's probably 2.1 on the cap, but the bits that aren't on the cap blow Knights out of the water and he'll earn way more at Souths. His quotes this year in regards to the club and wanting to stay give no indication he would move, especially to a club not majorly better off then us.

I wish him the best I really do. But I can see us overtaking Souths in a few years. And him regretting this decision. I've said it before but if we ever get succesfull again I would love Dane to be here when we are. Given he is the only bloke that stuck around for the shit years. It seems like a waste for him to stay through all these tough years for the Knights and then leave before it gets good. But if he leaves then all the best to him.

Wouldn't it be interesting having us overtake Souths in a few years and he and Rochow can discuss how hindsight is a beautiful thing.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Apparently Graham has been contacted and assured he will be a part of the Dogs next year.
https://www.triplem.com.au/sport/nr...-will-be-at-bulldogs-next-year?station=sydney

 

[perverse]

Apparently Graham has been contacted and assured he will be a part of the Dogs next year.
https://www.triplem.com.au/sport/nr...-will-be-at-bulldogs-next-year?station=sydney

Yeah, they seem to have managed to find the cap space they needed. Was worried about that, but you could see it coming with our strategy. I think it's very hopeful at best to wait for the Dogs to release Graham and not expect them to be offloading plodders to other clubs so they don't have to.

The win yesterday unfortunately hasn't allayed my fears about our recruitment at all. Cronk is pretty much our last throw at a star player - and it's a hail mary. Hopefully other clubs don't snap up every player worth having in the meantime. I agree with Browny in that if we can get one big one, a few more should follow... but I just think we're being unrealistic about getting that one in our current position.

 

[Frederick]

Well I, for one, look forward to many years of watching Ponga run rings around Gagai

 

[Mr_Knightside]

I think a few more wins will start to convince people. If we can have a strong second half to the year then we might see a few players showing interest. There's always the possibility of getting more guys during the off season as well, we managed to pick up Rory, Buhrer and Sio all during the off season this year so I'm confident we can do that again.

 

[perverse]

I think a few more wins will start to convince people. If we can have a strong second half to the year then we might see a few players showing interest. There's always the possibility of getting more guys during the off season as well, we managed to pick up Rory, Buhrer and Sio all during the off season this year so I'm confident we can do that again.

True enough, if we can get a few more as good as Buhrer we'd have to be pretty happy. We'd still have mountains of cap space that would probably be wasted, but we'd be moving forward.

 

[slotmachine]

I think the final cap figure is going to dictate how much movement there is. If it's $8.7m like the NRL want plenty of clubs will be squeezed.

 

[macavity]

Surely we have to go in for Hoppa - best outside back left on the market (I rate him higher than Gags but apparently that's just me)

 

[Sydney Knight]

I'd imagine Hoppa will be expecting an upgrade for next year now that he is playing on Sundays