Rumoured Targets 3

[Woody90]

I don’t think we’d ever consider moving KP to the halves again given we know defending in the line considerably increases his concussion risk.

Even if we did move him to the halves though we’d still need an organising halfback.

 

[slotmachine]

Not completely sure where Crossland’s best position is.

14

 

[Old dog]

Leaning towards keeping Brailey, play Crosslands 14 and let Arthur settle in and play Cup 9 covering Brailey and Crosslands for injury.

 

[Burwood]

Leaning towards keeping Brailey, play Crosslands 14 and let Arthur settle in and play Cup 9 covering Brailey and Crosslands for injury.

Same- I’ve been one of Brailey’s biggest critics since he signed with the club, but if he goes the only quality we have in our spine is Ponga.

Keep him next year, but move him on when contract is up. This gives Arthur and Jones the chance to impress in the off-season, or we look to spend big in 2026 if they don’t.

 

[aqua_duck]

There’s no way we should be moving Sharpe. I think people assume he’s being wasted on the wing but his skills have really helped to minimise losing Dom. He’ll be even better after an off season training at wing and I’d leave him there rather than messing with his development by trialing him in other positions over the off season.

He’ll get plenty of opportunities to play FB next year with KP likely out for some games or SOO.

I think people are still stuck in the old way of thinking that wingers aren’t valuable.
Maybe 10-20 years ago you’d blood someone on the wing and then eventually move them to fullback or centre but these days a lot of really good players will spend their entire careers on the wing or even be moved back out there and there’s nothing wrong with that, think of guys like To’o, Tupou, Young, Mulitalo, Katoa, Coates, khan Peirera, DWZ, Lomax, Addo Carr, Isaako, etc
Sharpe has got decent height for a winger, if he can fill out abit more there’s no reason why he can’t be a top class winger in a few years

 

[Yosh]

Crossland is a 14 for sure. We need a quality hooker and halfback. I think Gamble/Cogger are good enough to be half of a halves pairing in a spine including Ponga.

It's amazing how little halves quality there is in the league. Hughes, Cleary and Luai are top class but will never be available. Deaden, Hynes, Moses next best. Maybe Moses is available???

DCE, Hunt, Ryenolds, Cody all too old. Walker and Katoa are the next big breakout halves but one is tied down till 2028 and the other will cost as much as Ponga.

Is Moses a possible get? Pezet looks like he will need another five years to be quality. Must be hard being O'Sullivan lol.

 

[slotmachine]

The sharks seem off Hynes, maybe if they get bounced out in straight sets again he's an option

 

[Mr_Knightside]

The sharks seem off Hynes, maybe if they get bounced out in straight sets again he's an option

Depends on what we’re looking for really. He would be a big improvement on what we’ve got in the halves but he’s currently in a team with a better roster and has yet to take them to a finals win.

That being said it would be totally different playing in a team with KP. Where Hynes’ job would be to get the ball to KP when he calls for it. Whereas currently Hynes is the man and is the guy who gets the ball on his terms. Could potentially be a situation where it lifts the weight off his shoulders.

 

[perverse]

I just don't think Hynes is a halfback tbh. Always looked a fullback or a 6 to me. Class player and upgrade on what we've got though, unquestionably.

 

[Woody90]

Hynes isn’t a halfback and probably not what we’d need but if there’s one player that needs a new club asap it’s him. His confidence is completely shot and needs a new environment. He’s starting to give me Mullo vibes tbh.

 

[aqua_duck]

I just don't think Hynes is a halfback tbh. Always looked a fullback or a 6 to me. Class player and upgrade on what we've got though, unquestionably.

Yep, don’t think he ever really played in the halves until he got to Cronulla. Hynes game is built around effort and involvement and you could argue Cronulla at stages have looked a more balanced team without him.
I think at this stage of time we need players who can nail the big moments more than guys who are more ball centric.

 

[Rod]

Crossland is a 14 for sure. We need a quality hooker and halfback. I think Gamble/Cogger are good enough to be half of a halves pairing in a spine including Ponga.

It's amazing how little halves quality there is in the league. Hughes, Cleary and Luai are top class but will never be available. Deaden, Hynes, Moses next best. Maybe Moses is available???

DCE, Hunt, Ryenolds, Cody all too old. Walker and Katoa are the next big breakout halves but one is tied down till 2028 and the other will cost as much as Ponga.

Is Moses a possible get? Pezet looks like he will need another five years to be quality. Must be hard being O'Sullivan lol.

Moses is top class and just came off an Origin series win.

He would cost the same as the other blokes you mentioned.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Yeah I think Nicho is a rare sort of player in that he probably is your “dominant” half, but he’s a five-eighth. I don’t know why the Sharks set up the way they do because I think they look better with Trindall steering the team around and then Atkinson playing off that and picking his moments, and I think Nicho is a classier player than Atkinson.

I wouldn’t say I’m captain of the Nicho Hynes fan club - his defence is suspect to be sure and he’s clearly a bit of a confidence player - but if there was even an inkling of him wanting out I would want us to move heaven and earth to get it done. Like I would legitimately be happy just sticking with Cogs at halfback if we could get Nicho because Jack’s job would be so simple, count tackles and create space. There’d also be so much less pressure on him because everyone knows it’s Kalyn’s team. He would probably be the best five-eighth the club has had since Matty.

 

[Yosh]

Hynes really available?? Would complement our spine to a tee!!

No pressure because Ponga is the main man and can leave the halfback duties to Gamble/Cogger. If we get him at a cut price rate, wow.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

Moses is top class and just came off an Origin series win.

He would cost the same as the other blokes you mentioned.

Moses as our half on the weekend we win. The end.

Someone of his quality steering the ship and we are genuine contenders.

Hynes is a second fiddle. Big pass. Money could be better spent elsewhere.

 

[Woody90]

Hynes? Moses? Definitely the off season hahahaha.

Saying that though I reckon it’s going to be a very busy off season in terms of player movement across the board. Would not be surprised at all if a few big names left a few clubs.

 

[Burwood]

https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8764875/?adcall=true&adcallkw=&msg=loginMerewether junior trades Super Rugby for NRL shot with Knight

Merewether junior trades Super Rugby for NRL shot with Knights​

HE is a Merewether Carlton junior and one of the hottest prospects in Australian rugby. Now Taj Annan is set to join the Newcastle Knights.
Annan is understood to have agreed to terms with the Knights and will be part of the NRL club's top 30 when they assemble for preseason training in November.
Recruitment guru Peter O'Sullivan identified the utility back, who can play anywhere from five-eighth to fullback.
Recently turned 21, Annan has played Super Rugby for the Queensland Reds in the past two seasons and was part of the Australia side which competed at the under-20 rugby world championships in 2023.
He made five appearances for the Reds last season before he was sidelined with a syndesmosis injury.

The Knights have four spots left on the top-tier roster for next year and have vacancies in the outside backs.

Annan, who plays club rugby for the Garrick Morgan-coached Souths in Brisbane, is contracted to the Reds until November 30 and will get an early exit to join the Knights.
He has played predominantly in the centres or at fullback for the Reds.
The Knights are in the process of reshaping their roster but declined to comment when asked about Annan.
The 30-16 loss to North Queensland Cowboys in the elimination semi-final on Saturday night is expected to hasten that restructure.

Prop Daniel Saifiti, who has two years remaining on a big-money deal, is likely to join the Dolphins.

 

[aqua_duck]

Hynes really available?? Would complement our spine to a tee!!

No pressure because Ponga is the main man and can leave the halfback duties to Gamble/Cogger. If we get him at a cut price rate, wow.

Problem is I don’t think Hynes is suited to being the non ball dominant half. He averages 108 running metres per game which is down from 148m last year, it’s just unheard of for a halfback to be taking on the line that much, for context Shaun Johnson has never averaged more than 83m per game in any season.
In state of origin 1 this year, he ran the ball a whopping 29 times which is an absolutely insane number for any player let alone a halfback.

 

[aqua_duck]

https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/8764875/?adcall=true&adcallkw=&msg=loginMerewether junior trades Super Rugby for NRL shot with Knight

Played super rugby as a 19 year old which isn’t a common thing as rugby types tend to be abit more conservative with blooding juniors. Big body at 193cm and 100kg, no idea where his best position would be

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

The take from BLOKE IN A BAR podcast.

Pains me to say it but I agree with it. The Knights have until the end of this contract to get to a GF and show we are serious about winning, or I can see Ponga in Bondi