Rumoured Targets 3

[Woody90]

Gamble’s criminally underrated IMO. Definitely not in the top portion of halves by any means but a few people seem to think his only upside is his mongrel and he doesn’t actually have any skills. He’s solid defensively, digs into the line which allows space for the backs, has a surprisingly creative short kicking game, not fast but also not afraid to take the line on…pair him with a halfback that has a good long kicking game and can organise as that’s a very good pairing.

POS is arguably the best identifier of talent in the game, and no way his first re-signing joining the club is Gamble if he doesn’t think he can play (especially when we’re already loaded up on backup halves).

 

[Woody90]

LOL - Well you should, because where Gamble falls on that list is indicative of our place on table........fighting it out for a place in the 8 come seasons end - and we now have a new recruitment guru to rectify it.

Your post claimed Gamble is better than a cup player. Well there's the list champ - I'm asking you at what club is that statement anything other than pure fantasy ?

Fools paradise I guess, goes against decades of both statistical and empirical evidence to the contrary

POS’ first re-signing when he joined the club was Gamble, while he was tapping a lot of others on the shoulder and telling them to leave. He’s not resigning him when we already have a stack of NSW cup quality halves under contract if he doesn’t rate him.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

What evidence? Your subjective opinion on who’s a good player and who isn’t?
I said Gamble was good for us in 2023 and we missed him in 2024, something I’d imagine most people would agree with.

That's not the discussion. Posts have been regarding assembling a quality spine to win a Premiership.

Gamble is a cup player and quality back-up in a competitive roster.

Your claim is Gamble is better than that. Ok Please tell me in what competitive roster in the comp is Mr Gamble a starting 5/8.

 

[mozza91]

That's not the discussion. Posts have been regarding assembling a quality spine to win a Premiership.

Gamble is a cup player and quality back-up in a competitive roster.

Your claim is Gamble is better than that. Ok Please tell me in what competitive roster in the comp is Mr Gamble a starting 5/8.

Penrith have won the last 4 comps. He’d walk into their 5/8 spot Round 1 2025.

 

[Apey]

Don’t think you can use the list idea as a guide.
We (arguably) have the top No. 1 so can’t expect to have top pick in multiple positions on the spine.
I’m happy to use Gamble if we manage a much better dominant half.

Yes it has been pointed out a number of times you can't have top players in every position. There's a limit, enforced by a salary cap, circumvented by coaching and culture.
I don't understand the obsession with ranking each player.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

We (arguably) have the top No. 1 so can’t expect to have top pick in multiple positions on the spine.

No club has top pick in multiple positions. But no competitive club has a fringe first grader, 28 yr old journeyman with 63 First Grade games in a key halves position.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

Penrith have won the last 4 comps. He’d walk into their 5/8 spot Round 1 2025.

Now you are taking the piss, I was unaware there was such competition for Gambles signature. How luck are we.

I bet Panthers don't agree with you.

 

[Apey]

Gamble’s criminally underrated IMO. Definitely not in the top portion of halves by any means but a few people seem to think his only upside is his mongrel and he doesn’t actually have any skills. He’s solid defensively, digs into the line which allows space for the backs, has a surprisingly creative short kicking game, not fast but also not afraid to take the line on…pair him with a halfback that has a good long kicking game and can organise as that’s a very good pairing.

POS is arguably the best identifier of talent in the game, and no way his first re-signing joining the club is Gamble if he doesn’t think he can play (especially when we’re already loaded up on backup halves).

I feel like the biggest criticism of Gamble this year (obviously impacted by injury) was there were a few moments he specifically had an opportunity to own, and didn't. That's what an elite half is for, really. To take on those moments.

It's all a bit of a pipe dream anyway because besides Cleary I'm not sure there's a single one in the game right now that does own those moments... Hughes owns most of them, but he didn't have the best GF. Your DCE, Moses and Reynolds are next and well check out the 2021 & 2023 GF for Reynold's attempts.

 

[Woody90]

I feel like the biggest criticism of Gamble this year (obviously impacted by injury) was there were a few moments he specifically had an opportunity to own, and didn't. That's what an elite half is for, really. To take on those moments.

It's all a bit of a pipe dream anyway because besides Cleary I'm not sure there's a single one in the game right now that does own those moments... Hughes owns most of them, but he didn't have the best GF. Your DCE, Moses and Reynolds are next and well check out the 2021 & 2023 GF for Reynold's attempts.

To me this is why we need an elite level halfback (although obviously unrealistic). Your 6 and 7 are seen as a bit interchangeable these days, but typically when you think of players that consistently ice the big moments and direct the team in the big moments it’s the 7 (like all of those players mentioned above).

What I’m trying to say is that with a quality 7 next to him Gamble is fine. I don’t expect him to ice the big moments on his pay packet. That’s what we want from Ponga, but we obviously need that 7 that can step up and put the team on his back in the big moments to take the pressure off him.

When you’re in a position where Gambles your best half in the side though that’s when it’s a problem.

 

[Knight Tales]

I think the club is actually going to be able to attract good talent: we have made the 8 four of AOB’s five seasons in charge. There is a selling point. I don’t buy into the doom scenario that we will lose Leo etc. if he goes then he goes. We have the best in the game recruiting for us. Contacts absolutely everywhere. I would assume nothing. Already this week May, Gutho and Hunt have all been told they are surplus. It is just the beginning. The Nov 1 date is really about clubs re-setting and offering players up early when it suits them.

 

[Haffa]

I’d take Tyrone May in our forward rotation.

 

[mozza91]

Now you are taking the piss, I was unaware there was such competition for Gambles signature. How luck are we.

I bet Panthers don't agree with you.

You didn’t have Schneider or Laurie ahead of him in your faultless rankings. He would absolutely start at 6 if he was at the Panthers.

 

[Apey]

I’d take Tyrone May in our forward rotation.

He's obviously good but uhh the Roosters have canned him after he signed a 2 year extension just this year.

Then you look at his brothers and, well... I wonder if we will ever find out what he's done, lol.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

You didn’t have Schneider or Laurie ahead of him in your faultless rankings. He would absolutely start at 6 if he was at the Panthers.

Not my rankings - it's a list of random starting 5/8's at other clubs, and quite a reasonable question to ask you how you derive the fantasy that Gamble is anything other than a back-up 5/8 in any competitive team in the competition. ....and you cannot answer .

I'd say a 20 yr old Blaize Telagi with plenty of skill and tomorrows will be the 5/8 for Panthers next season.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Gamble was re-signed because he’s cheap and if you look at the rosters POS has compiled previously, he seems to really value spine depth - depth spine players who actually have a position rather than utilities. Katoa, his son, Milford and Nikorima all signed for that first season from memory. Three older guys who you know can do a job in that position + their great young prospect. plus Kurt Donoghue who’s sort of a 6 and a 9 and has been the one to get a lot of games off the bench this year.

Contrast that with us when we had Pearce: Lamb, Cogger, Watson initially. Two young fellas Browny refused to trust and a utility.

Then Mann - utility - and Lino - good in reserves but never seemed to be trusted in firsts.

It took Brailey and McCullough both doing their ACL and Blake Green coming in with Mr Fix It Mann moving to 9 - one game with Greeny at 6 and then we finally realise “oh yeah, it’s good having two halves who are actual halves” 2.5 years into Junior’s time with us. We’ve been chasing our tails ever since due to Clifford not working out + Pearce dropping a grenade on his own personal life.

I don’t know what POS has got in store for us, but I do know this: he is not going to sit on his hands re: this situation where Gamble and Cogger are the only two halves we trust to play.

That’s not a reflection on Gamble or Cogger - they are capable, affordable depth players, and POS will want to keep them. But I’d be very surprised if he sees either as a long term first choice option.

This situation where those are the only two trustworthy guys on the books, and our young top 30 prospects are “maybe they can do it, but we’re not sure if they’re actually a half” isn’t good enough.

I don’t know what he’s got up his sleeve, but he’ll have a number of options in mind I’m sure.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/a6191f792672c95330cb7536e11ed3c1

There goes Leo.

Rorters will without doubt throw their Sombrero into the cock ring.

He would fit their recruitment strategy of the past, young with plenty of tomorrows and as close to a sure bet to develop nicely as you could hope.

In the same mold as Tedesco, JWH, Keary, Crichton, Young etc etc

 

[Rod]

This is precisely why I have mentioned ( and wow it triggered some posters haha) Elliot ( his mention in particular riles everyone - amazing) ,

It doesn't trigger us - this is just what it looks like when pretty much everyone disagrees with you on something.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

It doesn't trigger us - this is just what it looks like when pretty much everyone disagrees with you on something.

You and a few carnival barkers from facebook aren't "pretty much everyone" champ.

His re-signing, or signing elsewhere is no doubt imminent . I'm sure there's huuuuge demand.

 

[Rod]

You and a few carnival barkers from facebook aren't "pretty much everyone" champ.

His re-signing, or signing elsewhere is no doubt imminent . I'm sure there's huuuuge demand.

The Elliott discussion has been done to death on here and the opinion of most to his contract is 'meh' or 'sounds about right'.

Feel free to make a poll but that how's the discussion goes every time.

You don't agree which is fine, but you're in the minority. And 95% of people disagreeing with you doesn't mean they're 'triggered'. You simply might just have a bad opinion.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Someone on the other Knights forum reckons the club is looking at Te Maire Martin.

My initial thought was “great, another journeyman” - but I remember thinking he actually played terrific filling in at 7 for Shaun Johnson this year.

Perhaps not a coincidence - Tanah Boyd released by the Titans and signed by the Warriors.

They now have Luke Metcalf, TMM, CHT, Tanah and Jett Cleary all on the books - 5 halves is a lot - and they seem to be looking to get younger in the spine and rebuild (Charnze moving to centre/utility to make way for the young tearaway fullback whose name I forget). Have heard they are looking to free up cap space to improve their pack a bit too.

Could all be nothing. Could be something.