Rumoured Targets 3

[mozza91]

giving them a player that will make their team demonstrably worse is a favour...

Well they want him so it’s their choice. We would be doing them a favour.

 

[TooheysNew]

giving them a player that will make their team demonstrably worse is a favour...

Because they're flush with halves at the moment.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Trade Hodko for Walker lol

 

[BuderusIsaBeast]

I would rather take the 200k and free up a roster spot then keep Hodkinson around as a 5th halves option.

He has also been great for the club off the field and he has an opportunity at manly to be a starting half I wouldn’t want to deny I’m that

 

[Frederick]

Trade Hodko for Walker lol

We want less missed tackles, not more

 

[Alex28]

Unfortunately it looks like Manly are going after Todd Carney now.

That’s a shame. Manly deserves Hokko.

 

[macavity]

Unfortunately it looks like Manly are going after Todd Carney now.

That’s a shame. Manly deserves Hokko.

May not get registered.

 

[Knight Vision]

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/5109228/knights-to-target-radradra/?cs=2382

It looks like Sione will be in the backline this year

New target: Fijian superstar Semi Radradra in the sights of Newcastle Knights

 

[Frederick]

We all know what his attack is like, but can Semi defend? Is his defense competent enough for a center?

After how we got burned by Aku, I’d be reluctant to throw big money at another big Fijian winger. No matter how gifted their attacking capabilities are, attack is only 50% of the game.

 

[Alex28]

How good is it waking up to articles like this and thinking “that is a chance” rather than “god what a pipe dream...”

 

[Allstar Knights]

We all know what his attack is like, but can Semi defend? Is his defense competent enough for a center?

After how we got burned by Aku, I’d be reluctant to throw big money at another big Fijian winger. No matter how gifted their attacking capabilities are, attack is only 50% of the game.

Usually I'd be reluctant to pay big coin for a winger but Semi is probably the only one I would. He's a real match winner at his best.

I think he could probably make a decent go of centre, too. Obviously, defensively it would take learning and is much harder, but I think his defence has always been really solid on the wing. Doesn't mean he could definitely transition,but I wouldn't rule it out.

Even if we just play him on the wing, I'd still throw a decent amount at him.

 

[Jono078]

I've heard we are a great chance of having Semi play for us in 2018.

IMO he's the best winger in the game.

Our top centre options are now SKD, Moga, Sione and Ross?

 

[Joel-22]

Semi could easily play centre. Rugby league really isn't that complicated, just show faith and continually play him there. Have him working one-on-one with an ex-centre and bob's your uncle - he's a centre.

 

[TooheysNew]

Semi could easily play centre. Rugby league really isn't that complicated, just show faith and continually play him there. Have him working one-on-one with an ex-centre and bob's your uncle - he's a centre.

Yeah, it's not that easy.

 

[slotmachine]

Blokes who have played in the centres their whole career can still struggle with defence.

 

[Yosh]

I always had the impression he was Aku mark 2? If he does join does he automatically get a shot at centre or will we move one of the boys to centre first?

 

[Caped Crusader]

lol no way you play Semi at centre

Not only has he never played there and would be a huge risk, you also negate just about everything that makes him such a dangerous and effective winger

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Centre is a specialist position in the modern game, you can't just shoe-horn someone in there who has never played centre. You might be able to get away with it on occasion throughout the season to cover for injuries but buying the world's best winger purely to try and convert him into a centre permanently doesn't make any sense to me. It's basically taking a guy's strength and nullifying it and creating a weakness in our team at the same time.

In my view one of the non-negotiables for a decent first grade centre is reading the play in defense and making the right decision most of the time, and there are still plenty of "first grader centres" who still haven't worked out how to do it **cough cough** Dane Gagai **cough cough**

The ones who do it best tend to be the guys who have played centre in the juniors and are used to defending one in from the edge from a young age and have been brought through largely playing at centre.

I've got no doubt that Semi would run hard, break tackles and make metres and be a threat in the air but I also don't know how he would go at setting up his winger. The good centres are able to get into a position where they can create a 2 on 1 and put their winger away, and most are able to pass both two handed or one handed if necessary.

All in all I'm not convinced that buying a guy who's played his whole career on the wing is a solution to our rather thin centre stocks.

 

[perverse]

SKD to centre if we get Semi... problem solved?

 

[Old dog]

IF, IF and IF again, we were by some mirical to obtain Radrada I would think he would play in his preferred/best position, wing, left side I believe and you would make sure your left side centre was aware to give him the ball as often as able.
Don't see him as a centre, don't weaken one spot in the hope of strengthening another. If required would play SKD at centre as he is better and Radrada is a better winger.