Rumoured Targets 3

[Apey]

Ah here we go. Are we going to fork out ludicrous $$ to keep him and find ourselves in the same situation a few years down the line?

Stay tuned.

 

[perverse]

The article suggests he’s concerned about the senior players getting the tap on the shoulder which I can understand if he doesn’t feel he’s ready to be a pack leader yet. We cant not move the likes of DSaf on though.

Well he's clearly lost faith in the process. He's been in the leadership group himself for a while now (a leadership group that seems to include half the damn squad I might add - ridiculous).

If Leo believed in the direction we were heading, he'd have signed by now. It's a constant with us tbh. The only players that re-sign with us ahead of contract deadlines are generally the Friz/Gags types who have found their spot to "settle down in life". The ones with plenty of tomorrows and yet to hit their peak typically hit the market.

The irony is that the blokes that have decided to settle in Newcastle to retire are the ones that consistently give us the most at the moment, lol.

 

[Woody90]

Well he's clearly lost faith in the process. He's been in the leadership group himself for a while now (a leadership group that seems to include half the damn squad I might add - ridiculous).

If Leo believed in the direction we were heading, he'd have signed by now. It's a constant with us tbh. The only players that re-sign with us ahead of contract deadlines are generally the Friz/Gags types who have found their spot to "settle down in life". The ones with plenty of tomorrows and yet to hit their peak typically hit the market.

The irony is that the blokes that have decided to settle in Newcastle to retire are the ones that consistently give us the most at the moment, lol.

Yeah I think we’ll have to wait and see. Players have very little to gain these days by not testing themselves on the open market. Even Sam Walkers going to market. Tbh I’m less concerned re Leo potentially wanting to leave (although no actual confirmation of that) and like Apey more worried about us now likely needing to pay overs to keep him and ending up in another DSaf situation.

 

[Apey]

I mean if I was Leo I'd be heading straight to the Panthers if they were interested.

Let's hope getting his brother is enough to keep him here.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

This is such a damning indictment on our club and how the players feel in the group tbh. Good clubs can get deals done before players hit the open market, especially with 2nd and 3rd tier players (i.e not elite players).

at the good clubs the elite players tend to stay, even if they do hit the market. They know the club culture is where they will play their best footy.

Some of the comments from players when they have left the Knights are very telling.

 

[perverse]

Yeah I think we’ll have to wait and see. Players have very little to gain these days by not testing themselves on the open market. Even Sam Walkers going to market. Tbh I’m less concerned re Leo potentially wanting to leave (although no actual confirmation of that) and like Apey more worried about us now likely needing to pay overs to keep him and ending up in another DSaf situation.

Well Sam Walker stands to be the biggest earner in NRL history, so I understand him going to market. It's understandable for the big names to do so - and I don't even knock our club for Kalyn doing so more recently either.

Ultimately yeah I agree, honestly I'm happy to let Leo walk if it comes down to a bidding war. I've never rated him at quite the lofty heights as others anyway. Not to say I think he's a dud, but he's 25 next year and should be hitting his prime as a footy player in the next 12 or so months - and he's going backwards to my eye. On top of that, he's never had much of a work rate at all.

He's not irreplaceable. Not to the stretch that i'd be paying him origin money or something silly to keep him. If he feels he'd be better off leaving, good luck to him. He's probably right anyway.

 

[Apey]

Yes, we can't be paying overs once again for someone like Leo if we want to have any cap sense going forward. I think we all want to keep him, but we don't want to end up paying him top 20% prop money like Saifiti and regret it later.

 

[Yosh]

Really like Leo. Hope he stays. I'd be testing the market also if he was getting close to minimum salary while DSaf and Heighington were on 800k and 500k.

 

[Old dog]

Have trouble understanding all the comments as some conflict one player to another.
DSaf criticised for phoning in then playing stronger when tapped but won’t make any difference to him if new club signs him for a low figure as Knights will pay more meaning he will get his $850K p.a. Anyway.
Thompson not performing as earlier in season, unhappy? Hasn’t resigned yet? Likely testing the market for higher pay but not going to get as much if not performing. DSaf might leave but he will still have JSaf and Frizell as mentors for at least 2025 if he stays
I tend to go more with the unsettled nonsense going on, unhappy players and unrest and in house nonsense which should be dealt with by Club/Coach

 

[perverse]

Have trouble understanding all the comments as some conflict one player to another.
DSaf criticised for phoning in then playing stronger when tapped but won’t make any difference to him if new club signs him for a low figure as Knights will pay more meaning he will get his $850K p.a. Anyway.
Thompson not performing as earlier in season, unhappy? Hasn’t resigned yet? Likely testing the market for higher pay but not going to get as much if not performing. DSaf might leave but he will still have JSaf and Frizell as mentors for at least 2025 if he stays
I tend to go more with the unsettled nonsense going on, unhappy players and unrest and in house nonsense which should be dealt with by Club/Coach

Tbh I agree with most of what you said but it's plain as day that DSafs form flipped on a dime the moment he was tapped on the shoulder. Money or otherwise, the tap woke him up. Too little, too late.

It does seem pretty obvious that there's some unrest in the playing group. Where that's coming from, dunno.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

Provide a culture where leaving just doesnt enter the equation.

This situation with Dsaf was highly avoidable in a strong culture, and it screams at a weak culture with vague principles and leaders.

If Dsaf is a member of the leadership group then those that appointed him should have a long hard look at themselves, and what it is they hope to achieve at the club.