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Rumoured Targets 3

Messages
10,887
Paywall, can you post the article?
NEWCASTLE coach Nathan Brown is in Wellington to spend time with All Blacks coach Steve Hansen and several surprises have popped up.

When most coaches spend time with the All Blacks they are usually there in a capacity of observing and attempting to pick up what tips they can about what makes the All Blacks so good before taking it back to their own teams.

Brown was invited into the All Blacks camp ahead of their Test against the Springboks.

“When someone comes in who doesn’t really know how you operate and they have a look at you, then it’s interesting how they see the things we do,” assistant coach Ian Foster told New Zealand media.

Hansen has been with the All Blacks since 2003 and is always searching for fresh ideas.

It seemed a little odd, then, that on top of that Warriors hooker Issac Luke and his manager flew into town on Thursday.

It got even stranger when Luke and his manager was spotted meeting up with Brown.

The only business they could possibly be doing is talking about a possible move to Newcastle next season.

The Knights’ semi-final window opens next season, with Mitchell Pearce back and fully fit and Kalyn Ponga another year better.

Injured hooker Slade Griffin still needs another knee operation, a second, after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament for the fourth time, and will miss most of the season.

Luke will fit the job.
 

Old dog

Juniors
Messages
2,451
Talk of paying Pangai big bucks is dangerous when looking at others within the club, what are Esee and Dan on, if considered as good or even near as good would they be likely to ask for upgrade or even out because that then shows them underpaid, buying Pangai for $800k could cost us $1.2-1.5mill when upgrades included.
 

Spot On

Coach
Messages
13,898
Dan and Ese are good, but Pangai is a whole other level

This. But both can go up a cog with a bit more quality in the pack to share the heavy lifting.

If Dan takes half a season to start hitting his straps then he's on enough money for mine.

Herman has more skill than just bash and barge as well. We just haven't seen enough of it due to the role he has had to play.
 
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mozza91

Coach
Messages
12,678
I don’t know if Pangai is that much better than Saifiti. Put Pangai in our side the last couple of years and I don’t see him doing any better than Saifiti has.

It’s not really a criticism of TPJ more an acknowledgement of how good Saifiti has been.
 

Frederick

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
27,533
I don’t know if Pangai is that much better than Saifiti. Put Pangai in our side the last couple of years and I don’t see him doing any better than Saifiti has.

It’s not really a criticism of TPJ more an acknowledgement of how good Saifiti has been.
Completely different style of players. Dan's a metre eater. Panagi is a game breaker
 

Burwood

Bench
Messages
4,769
It’s funny that question has been asked. I was thinking the other day, should we be paying TPJ more than Ponga? There’s no way we sign him for $800k+ and don’t need to top up Ponga’s contract. Would be a good excuse to extend his contract length another season or two though.
 

Yosh

Coach
Messages
11,245
Good news all round.

On a side note, the last play the Dragons did tonight to give the Rabbitohs the ball in their own half was something the Knights would have done in years gone by. Then again I really wanna see us in the finals. Hopefully next season!
 

Knight Vision

First Grade
Messages
5,066
It’s funny that question has been asked. I was thinking the other day, should we be paying TPJ more than Ponga? There’s no way we sign him for $800k+ and don’t need to top up Ponga’s contract. Would be a good excuse to extend his contract length another season or two though.
we need to up-grade Ponga in any case. Up-grading and extending his contract and off field opportunities should be THE number 1 priority of the club. We cannot under any circumstances, way shape or form lose Kayln Ponga. That kid's our now and future
 

mozza91

Coach
Messages
12,678
Completely different style of players. Dan's a metre eater. Panagi is a game breaker
A lot of the games we’ve won over the last couple of years were on the back of Saifiti playing big minutes and getting over the top of his opponents. They’re obviously different types of players and TPJ is probably better but I don’t think he’s on a ‘whole other level’.
 
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Mr_Knightside

Juniors
Messages
2,155
A lot of the games we’ve won over the last couple of years were on the back of Saifiti playing big minutes and getting over the top of his opponents. They’re obviously different types of players and TPJ is probably better but I don’t think he’s on a ‘whole other level’.

The thing is TPJ often produces the same sort of metres that Dan does but usually has more tackle breaks, offloads & line breaks etc so I feel like TPJ has more strings to his bow at the moment, he’s more mobile as well which is a plus in defence.

It would be amazing to get TPJ and Herman starting with Dan coming off the bench, and if his brother can finally play an injury free season and find some form then we could potentially have:

8. Ese’ese
10. TPJ
13. Glasby

14. Dan
15. Jacob
16. Barnett

This would be a nicely balanced middle rotation imo. Unfortunately a number of dominoes need to fall our way for it to become a reality.
 

Knight Vision

First Grade
Messages
5,066
The thing is TPJ often produces the same sort of metres that Dan does but usually has more tackle breaks, offloads & line breaks etc so I feel like TPJ has more strings to his bow at the moment, he’s more mobile as well which is a plus in defence.

It would be amazing to get TPJ and Herman starting with Dan coming off the bench, and if his brother can finally play an injury free season and find some form then we could potentially have:

8. Ese’ese
10. TPJ
13. Glasby

14. Dan
15. Jacob
16. Barnett

This would be a nicely balanced middle rotation imo. Unfortunately a number of dominoes need to fall our way for it to become a reality.
Hopefully, if we pick up some decent forwards, Jsaf will be in reserve grade.

Barny I think would improve on the bench, less minutes less fatigue would probably see I big improvement from him.
 

Still Nutty

Juniors
Messages
867
Love this line out of Tooheys News the other day....

"That put an end to speculation about the chances of a certain former Knights player who sounded out the club about the position the moment Mooney left."

Maybe I've read too much into this but do you think Hagan tried to throw his hat into the ring?! :p:p:p
 

Silent Knight

First Grade
Messages
8,182
Love this line out of Tooheys News the other day....

"That put an end to speculation about the chances of a certain former Knights player who sounded out the club about the position the moment Mooney left."

Maybe I've read too much into this but do you think Hagan tried to throw his hat into the ring?! :p:p:p

I know how Browny would react to that...

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Messages
3,663
Love this line out of Tooheys News the other day....

"That put an end to speculation about the chances of a certain former Knights player who sounded out the club about the position the moment Mooney left."

Maybe I've read too much into this but do you think Hagan tried to throw his hat into the ring?! :p:p:p
I hope so but thinking maybe Kidley as well.
 

Burwood

Bench
Messages
4,769
I hope so but thinking maybe Kidley as well.

Got to be Kidley- he left the club last week to take on a different role in a private company (I think that's a polite way of saying his contract wasn't renewed??), so wouldn't be surprised if he was hoping to take over from Mooney.
 

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