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Rumoured Targets 3

Yosh

Coach
Messages
11,917
I've said before that resigning Watson at this point is f**king stupid. We clearly need a specialist 5/8 not another utility.

Yes we've sign Frizell, but we've also lost Guerra, Herman and Glasby. We only have room for one of Mann or Watson, and Mann is better value for money.

If any of the cash from Guerra, Herman, Glasby that wasn't used on Frizell goes anywhere (including extending Watson) other than on a 5/8, our recruitment isn't doing their job

Clearly they are doing their job because we literally signed one of the best back rowers in the game. Let go of players who were taking up cap space and offered a 1 year deal to a player with potential but carries a massive injury risk. What part of their job aren't they doing?

Pearce was brought in here as a marquee statement player and is part of the reason why we aren't a retirement club anymore. His form has been terrible but his failures can't really be blamed on the recruitment team.

If we have no money left over, it's probably due to back ended deals that will come to an end next or at the very least 2022. Recruitment have been doing amazingly the past three or four seasons and can't be expected to magically recruit every star player in the league.
 

Burwood

Bench
Messages
4,980
The thing about our recruitment that fills me with the most confidence is the signings of McCullough and Green this year. The club identified an area of weakness in the roster and immediately addressed it. Nothing leaked in the media, no player swaps or getting bent over a barrel, no long term contracts.

In this day and age, any player, contracted or not, is a potential signing for clubs. It’s good to know we have the recruitment team in place to target areas of need and not be passive in the market.
 

macavity

Referee
Messages
20,643
if we have Brailey and Ponga playing all year and Pearce not playing like a drunk we are fine to run with Hoy or Crossland at 6.

Big IF.

I can't be the only one that sees a good centre in Mann?
 

Old dog

Bench
Messages
2,657
if we have Brailey and Ponga playing all year and Pearce not playing like a drunk we are fine to run with Hoy or Crossland at 6.

Big IF.

I can't be the only one that sees a good centre in Mann?
Mann would be ok at centre, likely his best position but where does he fit with Best, Tuala, Hunt, Schibs so he looks more like a 14 next season
 

Knight Tales

Bench
Messages
3,003
That would be the plan and the reason the club is willing to go 12 more months. Just hope the $$$ are reduced.

Surely.
On Toohey's podcast with Watson ( post injury ) he mentioned he was not getting the deal is was looking for but was willing to accept and they were just nutting out the finer details.

I think it's less money and only for 1 year.

Watson also mentioned he's going to see some expert who will be teaching him how to move properly. He puts his injuries down to the way he runs and moves when he plays the game.
I personally was all for Foran and I think it is a punt we will regret not taking.
 

Knight Vision

First Grade
Messages
5,066
I personally was all for Foran and I think it is a punt we will regret not taking.
that's the type of "punt" we've taken for over a decade and the type of decision we just spent years digging ourselves out of.

The best ability is availability. Marshal is light years ahead of Foran in this regard and a good character.

In any case I'd rather get a young play maker on the cusp of breaking out.
 

Still Nutty

Juniors
Messages
870
I personally was all for Foran and I think it is a punt we will regret not taking.
I understand the appeal but I also know that an approach like that does hark back to the bad old days of short term thinking to try and buy versus build a premiership winning team, club, culture.

Whilst O'Brien has been shown to have an eye for a short term solution (e.g. McCullough and Green) both of those players were physically sound and were going to offer us a short term solution to an emerging issue.

As next season will generally be O'Brien's first chance to influence the squad he wants to build at the Knights, I don't see us looking at a short turn solution that has inherent risk - I expect 2021 will be a step up on this season in terms of roster and playing structure and competitiveness but I really think we should expect that O'Brien's goal will be a real premiership top 4 squad in 2022 that would be disappointed if we don't make the GF and if that is the case I don't see us regretting not taking Foran as a stop gap for next year...just my opinion;)
 
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Knight Tales

Bench
Messages
3,003
I understand the appeal but I also know that an approach like that does hark back to the bad old days of short term thinking to try and buy versus build a premiership winning team, club, culture.

Whilst O'Brien has been shown to have an eye for a short term solution (e.g. McCullough and Green) both of those players were physically sound and were going to offer us a short term solution to an emerging issue.

As next season will generally be O'Brien's first chance to influence the squad he wants to build at the Knights, I don't see us looking at a short turn solution that has inherent risk - I expect 2021 will be a step up on this season in terms of roster and playing structure and competitiveness but I really think we should expect that O'Brien's goal will be a real premiership top 4 squad that would be disappointed if we don't make the GF and if that is the case I don't see us regretting not taking Foran as a stop gap...just my opinion;)
He will certainly get a chance to mould his own squad. I have faith he has the same approach as his mentor (Bellamy ) and can turn little knowns into stars. Tuala has been a revelation and I feel many would agree.
 

Knight Vision

First Grade
Messages
5,066
He will certainly get a chance to mould his own squad. I have faith he has the same approach as his mentor (Bellamy ) and can turn little knowns into stars. Tuala has been a revelation and I feel many would agree.
This is Tuala's first full year of being in first grade really. This weekend will mean his played more games for the Knights than the Cowboys.

He's going to be a special player. I like him a lot.
 

Knight76

Juniors
Messages
2,045
I really think we should expect that O'Brien's goal will be a real premiership top 4 squad in 2022 that would be disappointed if we don't make the GF and if that is the case I don't see us regretting not taking Foran as a stop gap for next year...just my opinion;)

If thats his aim, he better make the right calls now or we won't be. Pearce is not resigned yet but I have no doubt he is going to be.

That leaves the 5/8 spot up for grabs and unless we get a creative game breaker of a 5/8, or move Ponga there and find a competent fullback we won't be GF contenders.

Pearce doesn't have enough in him to be the main playmaker of a premiership winning squad.

Hoy is getting a shot this weekend, if he fails? Do we throw Crossland in and see, go back to Lino?
 

Jono078

Referee
Messages
21,201
if we have Brailey and Ponga playing all year and Pearce not playing like a drunk we are fine to run with Hoy or Crossland at 6.

Big IF.

I can't be the only one that sees a good centre in Mann?

I suggested this earlier this year. I think it’s his position moving forward, but I don’t know if you’d have him over best, tuala or hunt?
 

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