Rumoured Targets 3

[Mr_Knightside]

So far Brown has generally managed to get the players he wants by playing the waiting game. I know that as fans we’ve already waited a long time for the team to show some consistency on the field but I don’t want us to make panic signings because we’ve done that in the past and we’ve always come unstuck, Hodgkinson is a prime example of that.

Just look at the Gold Coast, they’ve shelled out massive money to get Boyd and keep Wallace and I’m not convinced that it’s money well spent because both those guys have been really up and down. I’d rather not see us burn money on players who will only play well in patches.

Right now given there aren’t any big guns looking likely to sign with us I’d rather see us pick up 2-3 bargain basement props to fill out our squad and give us depth for 2019 and still have the money to make a big play at the right player when they become available. Obviously TPJ is still a possibility but I don’t want us going with all our eggs in one basket either.

Brown has pretty much made all the right moves so far so I’ll keep the faith.

 

[Knight Vision]

I think our inconsistency throughout the year mostly stems from a young inexperienced crop of players who are for the most hovering around 50 NRL games or there-about. With the right players around them and continuing to mature there are good times ahead.

Browny knows the playing group and I'm sure he knows exactly the type of players we need to progress to the next level.

I think Browny has done well with the playing group he inherited and the new recruits, baring injury all turned out really well on the field and most importantly come across as fine young men.

Dsaf has turned into a prop with an huge future
Fitzy has turned from a fringe first grader to a regular with a bright future
Levi has become a test player
Griffin went from a fringe player to test player
Herman was an excellent buy
Guerra worth his weight in gold
Ponga also attributed some of his success this year to Browny allowing him to play the way he wants

 

[Haffa]

 

[Swarzey]

I'm 99% sure there's a prophecy inscribed on the Andrew Johns stand about a day a Johns rises up at Newcastle and once again leads the club to glory.

Jack Johns ain't it. He showed some good things in NYC but also failed to launch in NSW Cup and went down to the Real NRL. Our emerging Jersey Flegg halves pushed him further back in line, Jack might end up being a good half in - unfortunate to say - a better system and being closer in line than here.

 

[Knight Vision]

Jack might end up being a good half in - unfortunate to say - a better system

Are you saying we still don't have a good system in place ? I believe our juniors performed well this year. What's wrong with our present system ?

 

[Burwood]

Are you saying we still don't have a good system in place ? I believe our juniors performed well this year. What's wrong with our present system ?

Producing quality juniors has never really been our problem- they always look like world beaters playing in the lower grades. The second they get into first grade, however...

 

[Swarzey]

Are you saying we still don't have a good system in place ? I believe our juniors performed well this year. What's wrong with our present system ?

Perhaps system isn't the right word, we clearly have a good one when it comes to those early junior years and Jersey Flegg. I guess I'm hesitant in saying that we can develop juniors into first graders because aside from Fitzgibbon, we haven't been able to create a first grade quality player in the last 3 or 4 years. There's reasons for that, the state of the club over those years was a mess and the normal pathway for those young players was skewed, completely different compared to the rest of the competition; which is why - attitude aside - I tend to sympathise a bit with Lamb, Levi, Denniss etc.

We've been feeding fish that belong in a small lake to sharks in an ocean. I've always been adamant its unrealistic to expect them to thrive in the NRL when their development has been skewed, but until we see more players break that trend - possibly saw a glimpse of that in Meaney - I'm just going to doubt we can develop a player like Jack Johns further.

 

[slotmachine]

How many legit rep players have we produced since Kidley, who debuted in 2001?

 

[Burwood]

How many legit rep players have we produced since Kidley, who debuted in 2001?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Newcastle_Knights_representatives

Have the tissues ready (for crying, not the other reason...).

 

[mozza91]

Perhaps system isn't the right word, we clearly have a good one when it comes to those early junior years and Jersey Flegg. I guess I'm hesitant in saying that we can develop juniors into first graders because aside from Fitzgibbon, we haven't been able to create a first grade quality player in the last 3 or 4 years. There's reasons for that, the state of the club over those years was a mess and the normal pathway for those young players was skewed, completely different compared to the rest of the competition; which is why - attitude aside - I tend to sympathise a bit with Lamb, Levi, Denniss etc.

You honestly think Fitzy is the only FG quality player we’ve produced in the last 4 years.

Sione, Saifiti x 2, Tapine, Meaney and Levi are all FG standard.

 

[Knight Vision]

In the past it may be a case of poor retention. I remember reading the average NRL career is something like 20 games, in reality very very few make it to the top grade and even fewer go on to have long successful careers.

Hopefully we've turned a corner with this batch. Safs, Levi, Sione, Fitz etc show great promise.

 

[Burns]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Newcastle_Knights_representatives

Have the tissues ready (for crying, not the other reason...).

Wow thats amazing

 

[Sydney Knight]

I yearn for the day we have a junior that comes into first grade and looks like they belong from day 1. Think Victor Radley, Cam Murray, Nic Cotric and AJ Brimson.

I realise Radley and Murray have been brought into top 4 sides which helps but Brimson looks the goods in a bottom 4 side.

 

[mozza91]

I yearn for the day we have a junior that comes into first grade and looks like they belong from day 1. Think Victor Radley, Cam Murray, Nic Cotric and AJ Brimson.

I realise Radley and Murray have been brought into top 4 sides which helps but Brimson looks the goods in a bottom 4 side.

Daniel Saifiti has imo. I think he’s criminally underrated by Knights fans. He’s been good from day 1 and has done it without much help. He had a slow start this season but was coming off surgery but finished strongly.

 

[Spot On]

Imagine 2 more decent props helping pull the load. Dan and Herman going off their nut for their stints.

We live in hope.

 

[Yosh]

Isn't it a problem of us holding onto the crap ones and letting the good ones go?

 

[slotmachine]

Who are all these superstars we developed that were snatched out of our grasp?

Boyd Cordner was poached when he was 15.
We told Latrell Mitchell he wasn't required.

 

[Knight Vision]

Daniel Saifiti has imo. I think he’s criminally underrated by Knights fans. He’s been good from day 1 and has done it without much help. He had a slow start this season but was coming off surgery but finished strongly.

absolutely agree with this. Just imagine how good he would appear if he was part of the Sharks, Storm or Roosters pack. Dsaf is a future SOO prop if he continues his trajectory.

Now if Jsaf could do the same ......

I wonder how young Levi would of looked coming off the bench and eased into first grade surrounded by superstars

 

[perverse]

Daniel Saifiti has imo. I think he’s criminally underrated by Knights fans. He’s been good from day 1 and has done it without much help. He had a slow start this season but was coming off surgery but finished strongly.

The problem I personally have with Dan is that he can be so much better than he is with just a bit more fire in the belly. Hopefully it comes with age and a bit more experience under his belt. He's easily the best forward we've produced in a long time, with Fitzy in second. Once Dan starts regularly dominating his opponents physically - as he has shown us he can on occasion - then I think most people will get off his back.

He definitely has some issues in imposing himself on the game regularly, but if he can get it right more often he will be a force for us in the coming years. He needs better contributors around him, though. Herman is the only one giving him any backup... and Herman has the opposite problem to Dan in that he didn't grow big enough, but has a huge heart and has no problems imposing his presence on a match. If you could merge the 2 of them together then you'd have the next great prop on your hands.

 

[mozza91]

Agreed that we need him at his best more often but as mentioned it’d be way easier if he had more back up.

He’s only 22 aswell. Commentators are always talking about how Props don’t generally reach their prime until later in their careers. It’s just such a tough position aswell.

There’s only a few middle forwards in the entire NRL who are dominant each week (only Taumalolo, Fifita and Klemmer for mine) so it’s a tough ask for a kid who has been a pack leader since he was 19 and has Josh King coming on to spell him.

I can’t wait for us to sign a couple of big props to back him up. He’ll be able to focus solely on his impact rather than playing huge minutes to nullify the rubbish that is currently replacing him.