Rumoured Targets 3

[Choppy182]

You have a fair point... and it could very well prove to be a masterstroke and we're competing for top 6 in the next year. But I would also say that if Maloney signed for 2-3 years then retires, we lose Brock Lamb and need to develop a halves combination AGAIN. It's why I think having Watson, Lamb, Levi & Ponga establishing a combination for the next few years that could be one of the most lethal in the comp. back ups in Cogger, Pythian, Meaney & Starling. It is very young that spine yes, but very talented, I would say bring in the leaders via the pack (ie Graham), that can provide protection and guidance.

I do agree though that getting Maloney would be amazing for the team, I just don't think Lamb should be sacrificed for how much effort he has put in the past couple years. He deserves to be apart of the rebuild process and build with the talent coming in and through.

The possibility of sacrificing Lamb for Maloney is a sign they want results, starting next year. Brown on his last chance it seems and the club needs some success and would risk losing too much more (crowds, sponsors etc). I agree it would be a young lethal spine in years to come but not sure we have years to wait. Lamb could benefit being a backup and learning form Maloney, providing he stays.

 

[Noname36]

You have a fair point... and it could very well prove to be a masterstroke and we're competing for top 6 in the next year. But I would also say that if Maloney signed for 2-3 years then retires, we lose Brock Lamb and need to develop a halves combination AGAIN. It's why I think having Watson, Lamb, Levi & Ponga establishing a combination for the next few years that could be one of the most lethal in the comp. back ups in Cogger, Pythian, Meaney & Starling. It is very young that spine yes, but very talented, I would say bring in the leaders via the pack (ie Graham), that can provide protection and guidance.

I do agree though that getting Maloney would be amazing for the team, I just don't think Lamb should be sacrificed for how much effort he has put in the past couple years. He deserves to be apart of the rebuild process and build with the talent coming in and through.

Nobody is saying that Lamb should be sacrificed (ha! pun not intended) just that at the moment he's not at the level where we can justifiably not target a proven winner in Maloney at the risk of offending him.

If he was a sure bet of being the half we need I might see where people are coming from here but at the moment we haven't seen enough. That's not "bagging" him either, just being honest.

Nobody is saying we should punt him either. Put him into reserve grade to develop his skills. If he's good enough he'll push himself into the squad - Watson has good utility value so it's doable. And if he chucks the shits because we brought in a proven performer like Maloney with a much larger skill set at the moment to better the team then do we really want someone with that attitude as part of the squad anyway? I reaaalllly doubt Lamb would be that arrogant.

People seem to want us to not chase after a proven and experienced winner because it might offend Brock Lamb and I'm having trouble wrapping my head around that.

 

[Noname36]

I really don't understand how saying that we should go hard for Maloney is "bagging" Lamb?????

Does anyone actually think from what we've seen so far he'd be in any way, shape or form a better option for us than Maloney?

That's not bagging the kid at all. I'm sure Lamb himself would say we're stupid if we don't try and sign Maloney.

It's just the same way we'd tell Sione or Barnett to go back to NSW Cup if we signed one of the Cowboys backrowers. Or Levi if we signed Peats or Cameron Smith.

I know we've put work into them but that doesn't mean we should just give them a free pass if they're not the best options, just out of principal. We're looking down the barrel of our third consecutive spoon FFS.

 

[Sacrolishes]

I really don't understand how saying that we should go hard for Maloney is "bagging" Lamb?????

Does anyone actually think from what we've seen so far he'd be in any way, shape or form a better option for us than Maloney?

That's not bagging the kid at all. I'm sure Lamb himself would say we're stupid if we don't try and sign Maloney.

It's just the same way we'd tell Sione or Barnett to go back to NSW Cup if we signed one of the Cowboys backrowers. Or Levi if we signed Peats or Cameron Smith.

I know we've put work into them but that doesn't mean we should just give them a free pass if they're not the best options, just out of principal. We're looking down the barrel of our third consecutive spoon FFS.

I disagree totally in saying if we DONT get Maloney and run out with current squad and signings plus a couple more front row leaders next year that we'd get the Spoon again.

The squad we've had this year has fallen short of winning 5-6 games this year against quality opposition. And that was with Lamb and Feeney and under 20'a forward pack for the most part. So yes I say dropping Lamb for a completely untested Watson to form a partnership with Maloney would be an insult to him.

Watson will certainly be a very talented player, but we are merely going off the Auckland 9's performance.

The part I agree with you and the club is that I'm stoked that they went and got Watson whilst also making the play for Maloney if he comes available... old knights would have waited and waited for a possible outcome of Maloney, lost Watson and Maloney and probably sign Luke Walsh in pre season.

 

[Noname36]

I disagree totally in saying if we DONT get Maloney and run out with current squad and signings plus a couple more front row leaders next year that we'd get the Spoon again.

The squad we've had this year has fallen short of winning 5-6 games this year against quality opposition. And that was with Lamb and Feeney and under 20'a forward pack for the most part. So yes I say dropping Lamb for a completely untested Watson to form a partnership with Maloney would be an insult to him.

Watson will certainly be a very talented player, but we are merely going off the Auckland 9's performance.

The part I agree with you and the club is that I'm stoked that they went and got Watson whilst also making the play for Maloney if he comes available... old knights would have waited and waited for a possible outcome of Maloney, lost Watson and Maloney and probably sign Luke Walsh in pre season.

I'm not saying we'll defiently get the spoon if we run out without Maloney next year (I hope not anyway because we're a slim chance of signing him anyway!) - however we're not giving ourselves the best chance for success if we don't chase him.

I think your point about the narrow losses this year is an important one. We couldn't get them over the line because we didn't have the composure in the key positions. That's why we need an experienced winner like Maloney (and a Graham). Someone that's experienced and calm under pressure in a key position.

We can tell ourselves we were very unlucky with those close losses this year (which we were) but at the end of the day there's a reason the likes of Melbourne and Cronulla win those tight games that we always lose - composed players in the key positions that know how to win.

We need at least one of those in the spine + one of them in the pack. They're the two missing pieces of the puzzle. You can have all the young talent in the world but you need someone to teach them how to win.

 

[Glendale]

I really don't understand how saying that we should go hard for Maloney is "bagging" Lamb?????

Does anyone actually think from what we've seen so far he'd be in any way, shape or form a better option for us than Maloney?

That's not bagging the kid at all. I'm sure Lamb himself would say we're stupid if we don't try and sign Maloney.

It's just the same way we'd tell Sione or Barnett to go back to NSW Cup if we signed one of the Cowboys backrowers. Or Levi if we signed Peats or Cameron Smith.

I know we've put work into them but that doesn't mean we should just give them a free pass if they're not the best options, just out of principal. We're looking down the barrel of our third consecutive spoon FFS.

We're not choosing Maloney over Lamb, we'd be choosing Watson over Lamb.

 

[Joel-22]

We're not choosing Maloney over Lamb, we'd be choosing Watson over Lamb.

I think Watson is a great buy but I'm fairly confident Lamb will be the better player of the two. I actually think Watson has shown what Lamby hasn't and vice versa.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

But how are we managing to sign these players? I thought if we didn't have Gagai on the books, no one would sign for us

 

[Spot On]

Haha.

They've flooded in after he's jumped out.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Assuming the news that we've signed Watson is true I wonder if SKD and Guerra had something to do with it? I can't think of any recent Roosters players who have signed to play with the Tigers so perhaps knowing a couple of guys who are going to the Knights helped us sway him in our direction. I doubt that Brown and Mooney signed those two to try and convince Watson to come but it may have worked out as a convenient side effect nonetheless.

 

[Volcom6685]

Assuming the news that we've signed Watson is true I wonder if SKD and Guerra had something to do with it? I can't think of any recent Roosters players who have signed to play with the Tigers so perhaps knowing a couple of guys who are going to the Knights helped us sway him in our direction. I doubt that Brown and Mooney signed those two to try and convince Watson to come but it may have worked out as a convenient side effect nonetheless.

Keep In mind he also played with the saifittis on the central coast not long ago

 

[PhilGould]

He's also very close mates with young Tom Starling from under 20's.

 

[Sacrolishes]

Regardless. Astute signings when officially announced. Exciting times for knights fans. But... possible pain this evening.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Regardless. Astute signings when officially announced. Exciting times for knights fans. But... possible pain this evening.

Even if we continue to lose games for the rest of the year at least we now have a team with heaps more potential to look forward to next year. It will make the rest of the season bearable at least.

 

[Seage]

What are we all going to talk about when we're successful?

This rumoured targets thread will be a ghost town.

 

[K-Man]

What's great about the likes of Ponga, Watson and Ese'ese is that - unlike when we bought Likiliki, Henry and O'Donnell - they're actually talented young players who have shown some of that talent, albeit briefly, in the NRL. Each one has made a positive impact to their respective teams in first grade already, and they look like genuine stars of the future not just hopefuls. We have the money and we're spending some of it on real talent with huge potential.

Of course some experience in the halves and forwards would really help too. I still have some hope we get it. But this is a very good start.

Funnily enough Ponga is likely the best of the lot, it's been so long since we signed him it's easy to forget how massive he could be for us.

Come on up James Graham, Newcastle is the place to be.

 

[K-Man]

What are we all going to talk about when we're successful?

This rumoured targets thread will be a ghost town.

We might go back to normal and talk about great wins and disappointing losses. We might discuss the actual football more, because for a few years talking about how we play is my least favourite discussion point. I would love to follow a team worthy of match analysis!

Even with all these signings all I really want is for the Knights to be competitive again and not come last. I don't have any big dreams of top four or premierships, I will be absolutely delighted to watch a team with a chance of winning any game on its day ... and sometimes actually winning it.

 

[Zoidberg]

Even with all these signings all I really want is for the Knights to be competitive again and not come last. I don't have any big dreams of top four or premierships, I will be absolutely delighted to watch a team with a chance of winning any game on its day ... and sometimes actually winning it.

Well, a premiership in the next 10 years wouldn't hurt

 

[Caped Crusader]

What are we all going to talk about when we're successful?

This rumoured targets thread will be a ghost town.

I look forward to the day this place is a ghost town

 

[Old dog]

Some of this talk of Watson being unproven, is he or is he not as good or better than Lamb yet none of this same talk about very young Ponga who has yet to prove himself week in week out. They are both young and unproven, stars in the 9's, let's give them a go as we already have them. If we sign others then great, Maloney and Graham would be ideal. We don't have to tear one down to justify buying the other.