Rumoured Targets 3

[Joker's Wild]

Whinging about certain clubs having an absolute embarrassment of riches while our club is layers of shit on shit.

Look, I get where you are coming from but Cook being at the Dogs has very little to do with any kind of salary cap imbalances at the clubs, he would be on 2/10ths of bugger all. It's just good recruitment

Let's not forget that we have the current Jnr Kiwi hooker as our backup

 

[Joel-22]

speaking of cook.... remember ethan cook? Some on here talked him up as a future knights captain. WTF happened? Anyone who follows the juniors closely care to fill me in?

 

[Shenry4]

Apparently a few good games make you a great player that's all

 

[Spot On]

speaking of cook.... remember ethan cook? Some on here talked him up as a future knights captain. WTF happened? Anyone who follows the juniors closely care to fill me in?

That was a long time ago. Most probably Billy. He aint round these parts no more.

 

[The Showstopper]

Ethan Cook went to Penrith and failed. Will Smith is a kid I want to see return. He is playing very well and he could be a semi late bloomer. Great step and pace.

 

[K-Man]

speaking of cook.... remember ethan cook? Some on here talked him up as a future knights captain. WTF happened? Anyone who follows the juniors closely care to fill me in?

I thought Cook would do better simply because his ball playing was superior to plenty of guys who have managed to play in the halves in first grade. Even comparing him to a guy like Todd Lowrie, it surprises me Cook couldn't crack it when Lowrie played so much NRL. Similar size and build, but Cook had 5 times the skills. For a backrower he was a linebreak assist machine.

Good footballer but probably just a bit too small for the forwards and a bit too slow for the halves.

 

[Swarzey]

Robbie Farah at top of Nathan Brown’s recruitment hit-list for Newcastle Knights

The Knights will officially end weeks of speculation in Newcastle early this week when they unveil Brown as the club’s new coach, just days after the Knights picked up their second wooden spoon following an embarrassing final round defeat at the hands of Penrith.

It is understood Brown is set to agree to a three-year deal and will hit the ground running as the club finalises a full internal review of its football operations.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt Farah is at the top of Brown’s recruitment hit-list with club officials having already met to discuss the merit or otherwise of trying to entice him to the Knights.

Newcastle currently has hookers Adam Clydsdale, Tyler Randell and emerging star Danny Levi under contract but the chance to complement the acquisition of Blues half back Trent Hodkinson from the Bulldogs with the NSW No 9 has enormous appeal.

It would give the Knights a spine featuring two current Blues players in Farah and Hodkinson, a former NSW playmaker in Jarrod Mullen at five-eighth and one of the game’s emerging fullbacks in Jake Mamo.

Farah’s experience is also seen as another recruitment positive with three of the club’s elder statesmen Kurt Gidley, Beau Scott and Clint Newton all moving on or retiring.

Whether Farah is prepared to pack up and make the move to Newcastle remains to be seen, particularly if there is interest from other Sydney clubs.

Given the Knights’ tight salary cap position, the Tigers would also have to agree to pay a big portion of his rumoured $900,000 a season deal and there will be some Knights officials that will need convincing he won’t be a divisive influence.

But Brown is clearly a big fan and hinted at his interest in Farah when he said on Peter Sterling’s Fox Sports show last week that the Tigers skipper needed to leave the club, given his problems with coach Jason Taylor, and start afresh somewhere else.

Brown and Farah are also said to have got along extremely well in Origin camp earlier this season where Brown was an assistant to Blues coach Laurie Daley.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...+dailytelegraphnrlndm+(Daily+Telegraph+|+NRL)

Oh boy. I guess one of the consequences of wanting a coach to make decisions he feels need to be made is accepting them is accepting them regardless. We still need a prop or two, I would hate for this to impact our chances of signing Tolman but Brown would have been watching all three grades for weeks now; it could be a sign that he's ready to invest in some of the younger players.

 

[Allstar Knights]

I was really against Farah and still prefer for us not to get him (I'd rather Ballin), but I can see why Brown wants a quality dummy half like him. It's a vital position in the modern game and Clydsdale/Redman are just solid players. Great depth, but preferably not in top 17 imo.

Levi is a gun though but probably not ready for the full 80 yet. Rotating him with a guy like Ballin or maybe Farah all of next year would be ideal for his development.

 

[Johns Magic]

I have never liked Farah the person, but think we really need him right now. He still has it, he just needs a change of scenery IMO.

If it came down to Farah or Tolman I would take Farah.

Ballin would be a solid second prize though.

EDIT: I can't see Farah leaving Sydney though. Seems very much a city boy.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

The reports are that Taylor didnt like the vibe Farah was bringing to the team in that Farah would just become so depressed and emotional with every lose.

Personally, i think thats something the Knights could do with a bit more of.

 

[Noname36]

I'd love to get Farah if we can still snare Toleman...not sure we'd have the money though?

 

[K-Man]

I'd love Tolman, but do we need him? Not sure the prop situation is as bad as it seems since you basically count Stockwell as a new signing next year, and Paea if he brings his apparent UK form could be an astute purchase.

So for props / middle forwards we already have:

1. Snowden
2. K Sims
3. Paea
4. Stockwell
5. Smith
6. Mataora
7. Houston
8. Yates

Tolman clearly would be a big upgrade, so I'm all for it on the surface, but I think we could survive without him if it meant boosting other areas. For me that would be centre, but if it's Farah on a two-year deal with Levi his backup I wouldn't have an issue with it.

 

[Noname36]

Yes I think we really need Toleman...even more so than a hooker and we really need a hooker too.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

I didnt know brown was involved with the NSW camp. If current rep players enjoy being coached by Brown in camp it just adds a little more enticement for them to come here if they want, as its not such an unknown.

I am more interested to see if brownie puts his feelers out to the ESL, How awesome would it be if we could pick up someone like Brian Carney on the cheap? Remember him? He was a gun winger for us. There is plenty of those kinds of players over there that he could bring over.

 

[slotmachine]

I'd love to get Farah if we can still snare Toleman...not sure we'd have the money though?

With Tyrone already gone, say Jimmy retires and Houston and Clydesdale are show the door, with some back-loading you could probably sneak them both in I reckon.

Midley should have already done the numbers it's such a good idea.

Mamo
Chanel
Sione
Gagai
Aku
Mullen
Hodko
Snowden
Farah
Tolman
T Sims
Rochow
Smith

Levi
Tapine
K Sims
Paea/Stockwell

That side isn't a complete joke.

 

[Frederick]

If we got tolman and Farah I'd play a pack of:

Snowden
Farah
Tolman
Rochow
Tapine
T. Sims

Levi
K. Sims
Paea
Stockwell

Sims and Paea as replacement props, Stockwell interchanging with Tariq. Tapine is too good to leave on the bench

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

With Tyrone already gone, say Jimmy retires and Houston and Clydesdale are show the door, with some back-loading you could probably sneak them both in I reckon.

Midley should have already done the numbers it's such a good idea.

Mamo
Chanel
Sione
Gagai
Aku
Mullen
Hodko
Snowden
Farah
Tolman
T Sims
Rochow
Smith

Levi
Tapine
K Sims
Paea/Stockwell

That side isn't a complete joke.

There is just so much plod in that backline. Probably the worst backline in the comp.

 

[slotmachine]

Who cares. Because our fantastic backline has delivered so much success in the last five years.

And Aku, Chanel and Gagai can all find the try line when they have a somewhat competent half passing them the ball.

 

[Noname36]

Yeah, I really think getting competent halves and hell, even the tiniest bit of structure will help our backs a lot. The wingers at the moment are my main worry (Aku has been awful and I don't rate Chanel/Ross) but seriously they're wingers so they're far from my biggest concern.

 

[The Showstopper]

Brown has drawn up a hit list and has full board support. The list is said to be impressive. Stay tuned fellas. I think a lot of players are aware their days here are numbered. Farah is one they want here which was never in doubt. I don't think it ends there.