Rumoured Targets 3

[Woosh]

Put any number on his back and Kurt is your ‘Mann’.

Utility, Kurt Mann, has constantly been asked to play different roles to a high-standard for the nib Newcastle Knights, which has led to him being dubbed ‘Mr Fix-It’.

The 28-year-old has been rewarded with a two-year contract by the Club.


Mann has come full-circle having made his way through the pathways system at the Knights to now sealing his future with the red and blue.

“The start of my rugby league journey was here and I love playing for the Knights,” Mann said.

“I’m excited to be here now and extend my future with the Club.

“We’ve got a great team and a real family-orientated environment.

“My partner loves it here and my kids will probably grow up supporting the Newcastle Knights as well.”

Mann has played in every position in the backline since arriving to Newcastle in 2019.

However, the man from Winton's NRL journey started back in 2014 with the Melbourne Storm.

After a successful opening stint with the Victorian side, scoring 10 tries in 28 games, Mann made his way to the St. George Illawarra Dragons in 2016.

The Queenslander made his name at the Dragons establishing himself as a regular first-grader, playing 60 games for the Red V over three seasons.

Mann signed with the red and blue for the start of the 2019 season where he has been a constant figure in the line-up ever since.

The versatile back enjoyed career best form last season coming second only to Kalyn Ponga in the Danny Buderus Medal count.

Kurt has continued to show his worth in every position playing five-eighth, fullback and centre throughout 2021.

“It’s something I definitely pride myself on,” Mann said.

“I probably wouldn’t be here today if I couldn’t do it."

Mann first met current Head Coach, Adam O’Brien, back in his Melbourne Storm days and praised him for his development as a player since joining Newcastle.

“He’s been massive for me as everyone saw last year, it was probably my best year,” Mann continued.

“He has had a big impact on the entire club.

“I think the longer he is around, the better we’ll be.”

The 28-year-old was also recently selected in the Queensland Maroons squad for Game III of State of Origin this year.

Mann was the 18th man for the Maroons victory in which he savoured the experience of the big-game arena

“I enjoyed every minute of it,” Mann said.

“As a young kid growing up in Queensland, footy is a religion up there and something every kid wants to do is play for their state.

“I got to learn a lot about preparation for big games and to be part of it on game day was pretty special.”

Kurt has extended his stay in Newcastle until at least the end of the 2023 season.

'Mr Fix-It': Mann comes full-circle with signing news

Put any number on his back and Kurt is your ‘Mann’. Utility, Kurt Mann, has constantly been asked to play different roles to a high-standard for the nib Newcastle Knights, which has led to him being dubbed ‘Mr Fix-It’. The 28-year-old has been rewarded with a two-year contract by the Club.

www.newcastleknights.com.au

 

[ryana87]

Yes, we get it... It's not a good signing..... But I'm really dissapointed with the number of horrible comments on the knights fb page. People just need to chill out a bit

 

[Yosh]

'Mr Fix-It': Mann comes full-circle with signing news

Put any number on his back and Kurt is your ‘Mann’. Utility, Kurt Mann, has constantly been asked to play different roles to a high-standard for the nib Newcastle Knights, which has led to him being dubbed ‘Mr Fix-It’. The 28-year-old has been rewarded with a two-year contract by the Club.

www.newcastleknights.com.au

Well the one piece of good news I got from that article is that he is 28. This 2 year extension should be his last at least haha...

 

[Walk On Home Boy]

Unfortunately we seem to have gone back to resigning players no one wants and letting the only decent ones go. Mann, Fitz and Gagai are total salary cap murdering signings. These players offer little to nothing on the field and every other club seems to know that but us. Pearce @ 700k is still big overs. Pardon my naysaying but there is absolutely nothing positive about any of those signings. Watson and Klemmer likely leaving compounds things.

It just feels like we're still so unprofessional as a club. Nowadays, teams can't afford to carry as much dead wood as we have. I honestly thought we'd turned a corner re: recruitment. This all feels so Hagan-esque. Perhaps our current play style is the most disheartening aspect of all though. Absolutely demoralising to admit it but we're once again going nowhere as a club and I'm feeling as though much of the positive work done by Brown and others in recent years is quickly being undone. When is the club going to become professional?

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Unfortunately we seem to have gone back to resigning players no one wants and letting the only decent ones go. Mann, Fitz and Gagai are total salary cap murdering signings. These players offer little to nothing on the field and every other club seems to know that but us. Pearce @ 700k is still big overs. Pardon my naysaying but there is absolutely nothing positive about any of those signings. Watson and Klemmer likely leaving compounds things.

It just feels like we're still so unprofessional as a club. Nowadays, teams can't afford to carry as much dead wood as we have. I honestly thought we'd turned a corner re: recruitment. This all feels so Hagan-esque. Perhaps our current play style is the most disheartening aspect of all though. Absolutely demoralising to admit it but we're once again going nowhere as a club and I'm feeling as though much of the positive work done by Brown and others in recent years is quickly being undone. When is the club going to become professional?

Who have we let go?

 

[Woosh]

Knights coach Adam O'Brien rates Dane Gagai as one of the game's best centres, with the impending signing of the Queensland Origin star giving his side some much-needed strike and experience in the outside backs next season. Gagai is yet to officially put pen to paper on a three-year-deal to return to the Knights after four seasons at South Sydney but let the cat out of the bag late last week that he was returning to Newcastle next season. He last featured for the Knights in 2017 and has played 128 NRL games for the club after Wayne Bennett signed him from the Broncos in 2012. O'Brien said he could not have been more impressed after having a long conversation with Gagai during negotiations. "For starters, I know he is coming back here for all the right reasons," O'Brien said. "He was just so good to talk to about not just the Knights, but Newcastle itself and the people that would turn up when they were losing and winning wooden spoons. "He's got a deep affinity for the club and the region and the fans. He spoke about the fans a lot so I'm looking forward to him joining us over the summer. We've got a real good one there character-wise." While O'Brien said his only focus right now is on this season, he admits he is looking forward to what Gagai will bring in 2022. "I'm really excited about Gags and what him coming back to the club will do for us," he said. "It's not only his game that he brings but it's also the experience he has and how much that is going to help our young outside backs to make each and every one of them better. He is an Origin and Test player and we've got young guys that can learn from him. "His footy is something that excites me as well. He's tough, he's passionate and winning means a lot to him. You can see that in the way he plays for whoever he is playing for, whether it be at club or representative level." After snaring Gagai, the Knights are now focusing their recruitment attention on securing a backrower/lock to bolster their forward pack. The club on Monday confirmed a two-year extension for utility Kurt Mann. As reported by the Newcastle Herald on July 12 Mann will remain at the Knights until at least the end of the 2023 season. "I'm excited to be here now and extend my future with the club," Mann said in a statement. "We've got a great team and are a real family-orientated club. My partner loves it here and my kids will probably grow up supporting the Newcastle Knights as well." The club will also meet with current utility Connor Watson this week in a bid to escalate negotiations while backrower Lachlan Fitzgibbon is close to finalising a financially-reduced two-year extension.

Gagai set to be centre of Knights' attack

"He is an Origin and Test player and we've got young guys that can learn from him."

www.newcastleherald.com.au

 

[Yosh]

Unfortunately we seem to have gone back to resigning players no one wants and letting the only decent ones go. Mann, Fitz and Gagai are total salary cap murdering signings. These players offer little to nothing on the field and every other club seems to know that but us. Pearce @ 700k is still big overs. Pardon my naysaying but there is absolutely nothing positive about any of those signings. Watson and Klemmer likely leaving compounds things.

It just feels like we're still so unprofessional as a club. Nowadays, teams can't afford to carry as much dead wood as we have. I honestly thought we'd turned a corner re: recruitment. This all feels so Hagan-esque. Perhaps our current play style is the most disheartening aspect of all though. Absolutely demoralising to admit it but we're once again going nowhere as a club and I'm feeling as though much of the positive work done by Brown and others in recent years is quickly being undone. When is the club going to become professional?

We did also resign both the Saifitis and looks like Brailey will sign a long term deal anytime soon. Also, last season we literally brought over the two best young talents from the UK. Ponga is going to take his two year extension as well. Furthermore, we didn't give Pearce a long useless extension either. On top of that, we decided not to go in for Lodge and Finucane as well.

There is plenty to hate about the Fitzy and Mann extensions but play recruitment and retention has been spot on the past couple of years. Just tallying up the above, to me it's 6 or 7 good deals to 2 bad ones. Gagai is still up in the air because he might have a blinder while he is here or just be dead weight.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Unfortunately we seem to have gone back to resigning players no one wants and letting the only decent ones go. Mann, Fitz and Gagai are total salary cap murdering signings. These players offer little to nothing on the field and every other club seems to know that but us. Pearce @ 700k is still big overs. Pardon my naysaying but there is absolutely nothing positive about any of those signings. Watson and Klemmer likely leaving compounds things.

It just feels like we're still so unprofessional as a club. Nowadays, teams can't afford to carry as much dead wood as we have. I honestly thought we'd turned a corner re: recruitment. This all feels so Hagan-esque. Perhaps our current play style is the most disheartening aspect of all though. Absolutely demoralising to admit it but we're once again going nowhere as a club and I'm feeling as though much of the positive work done by Brown and others in recent years is quickly being undone. When is the club going to become professional?

I don’t see how any of this is Hagan-esque given we signed Mann & Fitz on reduced deals and we didn’t just pay Gagai his original asking price which lead to him reducing his expectations. Also we have stuck to our guns on the Watson signing and sounds like we won’t be pushed into paying overs. Also we had a crack at Finucane but offered him less money and a shorter deal than some other clubs which I think is sensible. We also kept Pearce on a 1 year deal for less money too which is good business when you look at the halves market right now. I remember Hagan used to match offers from other clubs which is why we ended up with a team full of overpaid plodders.

Also who are the good ones who we have we let go exactly? We are trying to retain Watson but we don’t want to pay overs and these rumours about Klemmer are rumours at this stage. If he chooses to leave then that’s on him, not the club. I’d rather keep JSaf in the starting pack tbh.

Also just on Mann and Fitz, whilst I would rather we cut them both loose the reality is that you need to replace outgoing players with better players for it to be worth it. You gotta fill out your squad somehow and I’d take 2 experienced guys at this stage over two more rookies, we’ve all seen what it’s like having a team full of rookies and it isn’t pretty. They’d both be on reduced deals this time around so I’m not too upset about it and it sounds like we’re now looking for a back rower anyway so my assumption is that Fitz’s spot in first grade is under serious pressure.

The one thing I can agree with you on is that our style of football for the most part has been terrible to watch. I do think that a major part of that is not having our HB and FB on the field for most of the year as well we constant shuffling of our key positions and backline. Even at full strength I still think we would probably still have some issues but we all know there is a massive difference between having MP and KP on the field compared to not having them.

 

[Woosh]

​

KNIGHTS FRONT-ROWER NEARS NEW DEAL​

Hard-working prop Josh King is close to securing a new deal at the Knights.

A couple of rival clubs are showing interest in the 26-year-old front-rower but King is settled in Newcastle and likely to sign a new two-year deal.

After injuries saw him play just seven games last season, King has already racked up 13 matches in 2021 and coming from the bench, he has given the Knights plenty of enthusiasm and energy.

NRL news, The Mole | South Sydney Rabbitohs may strip Roy Asotasi of award title after protest march attendance

amp.nine.com.au

 

[Jono078]

I think it's well deserved for King. I imagine he is close to minimum wage again, regardless of outside interest.

 

[Yosh]

Becoming quite the King fan. Has the best name for a cult following as well.

And question: Should we sign Fergo? I personally quite enjoyed what SKD did for the club on a weekly basis. We in for another round?

 

[Frederick]

And question: Should we sign Fergo? I personally quite enjoyed what SKD did for the club on a weekly basis. We in for another round?

 

[perverse]

The big question for our outside backs situation at the moment is can we get a consistent performer or two out of Best, To'a and Young in the next 12 months? If we can, then I think we'll be ok. If the current status quo continues, then we may well need to bring in someone else. I wouldn't outright put a line through Ferguson, but I'm more interested in who we look at for a backrower at this stage with Gagai already coming. I think the club has its priorities right in that regard.

 

[Jono078]

Yeah for mine the next two target signings should be an edge backrower and a winger.

I wouldn't say no to Fergo on a 1 year deal. He is someone with great confidence in himself, looks after his body and still likes to get involved and make tough runs.

 

[Old dog]

I’m happy with King signing, 2 years, assume low pay and he has become more effective this year, reward for effort.

 

[Rod]

Good on King, he kept working and earned his deal. At the start of this year (or was it last year?) he looked unplayable at times but has really improved.

 

[Jono078]

I think last year was his breakout year where he improved all around.

The year prior you wouldn’t have even paid him with an RSL raffle meat tray to suit up for us.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Becoming quite the King fan. Has the best name for a cult following as well.

And question: Should we sign Fergo? I personally quite enjoyed what SKD did for the club on a weekly basis. We in for another round?

If were going for a big out of favour winger, Id rather go for Corey Oates

Less dickhead factor

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Also, dont get why everyones so upset with Mann and Fitz being resigned

a. Likely on minimal contracts

b. Our NSWCup team still needs players and the more we have with NRL experience the better off we'll be depth wise

 

[PhilGould]

Toohey’s News

- Fitzgibbon’s dad says his role at the Knights’ major sponsor has no impact on the club offering Lachlan a new deal.

- After many specialists’ opinions, Edrick finally got another surgery on his foot a few weeks ago. There were fears a more delicate surgery could cause nerve damage and affect his chances of even walking afterwards. If it heals as expected he may be offered a lifeline 1-year deal by the club.

- Toohey indicates Watson is very likely to re-sign, possibly as soon as this week.