Rumoured Targets 3

[The Axe of Druss]

There's more than enough talent coming off contract in 26 and 27 to move the needle in the positions we're lacking.

We're f**ked if Brown is our only signing for 26 though, even if Gags and Friz take up their options. Our young guys aren't ready now and won't be before next season

 

[Rod]

And the reason why there's urgency in this, from me and others, is because ultimately I think losing Ponga isn't a good look for the club. Not just based on on-field stuff, but the optics of it are just awful and aren't going to help any with recruiting in the short to mid term. I honestly don't expect Kalyn to be on board with another "5 year plan".

Yeah I've been thinking about this too. On-field form up to scratch or not he's our marquee player and what makes us relevant. That has to be factored in in any discussions about whether we'd be better off without him.

 

[Woody90]

And finally, if we've made the decision to go full rebuild, it's the perfect time for new coaching staff too. Hanging onto this clueless idiot makes zero sense if you're rebooting the roster. This prick walked into the place happy with the state of it. We were all happy with where we were at and our trajectory at the time and it has flatlined. The only reason to keep him on the books is financial and fans have every right to be f**ked off if that's the case too.

I have a theory they don’t want to bring in a new coach because they know the roster is bad and it’ll be a really bad look if we sack AOB and then another coach is under pressure within 12 months.
I’d sack him anyway tbh because I think we’re playing even worse than our roster should be, but that’s my theory what they’re thinking. Also the payout but I don’t think that’s the only factor for why they haven’t pulled the trigger yet.

 

[Old dog]

I think next year is definitely a transition year, important that we retain Frizell and Gagai which would retain our strong 1-5, 6-7 obviously Sharpe and Brown and if we assuming we resign him play Frizell up front with JSaf we will be strong depending on how Brown/Sharpe work out. With no other signings that would leave the likes of Jones and Croker on bench with one of our Cup players playing KPP position, Elliott if resigned at 13, if not Cant?

 

[Loose Cannon]

I have a theory they don’t want to bring in a new coach because they know the roster is bad and it’ll be a really bad look if we sack AOB and then another coach is under pressure within 12 months.
I’d sack him anyway tbh because I think we’re playing even worse than our roster should be, but that’s my theory what they’re thinking. Also the payout but I don’t think that’s the only factor for why they haven’t pulled the trigger yet.

Gardner won’t ever admit failure. It’s what people in that position do.

In this instance. there isn’t a thousand money printing machines involved in order to subsidise the false initiative.

 

[HarVeeGee]

I’d rather be shit if it’s in service to a real plan, which the club sticks to, which gives us a real chance of actually winning.

Making panic moves every off season to chase mediocrity isn’t really that much better than being shit, and it’s a road that eventually leads to being shit anyway once those mid players you’ve clung onto for way too long get too old.

My biggest problem with Nathan Brown is that he just accepted we would be shit. Like he literally said, in advance, we were going to run last. I reckon that set us back heaps. You tell young players the games don’t really matter and losing is acceptable, they can’t just flip a psychological switch and become winners.

I’ll give AOB some credit: He never says he’s going to accept that we suck. He just said in his presser today that he doesn’t accept finals are out of reach. It’s probably the smarter thing for his job security to say that this is a transition year, set the expectations low, so it’s shows a bit of backbone that he hasn’t done that.

 

[HarVeeGee]

FOX and media is not the majority of the RL community. Hyperbole and turmoil is their job. Overs at the moment, but with 2 new clubs arriving, the signature will look a master stroke. The race to lock-up talent is about to enter frenzy stage.

I think he’s a very good player, no issue with the signing.

Also I reckon making tough long term decisions may cost us Kalyn, so it’s good to have a legitimate marquee attacking spine player locked up long term (on top of Sharpe).

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

We aren't near the same post code as the Panthers or Roosters either. We have to play a premium somewhere.

Also they have been at the club ages so they would have been happy to stay at lower wages the latest contract.

How many other clubs have SOO level backrowers at their club for 750k? You cherry picked the outliers to make your point.

That doesnt happen over night, but it does with strategic planning and running a tight budget. Spend in positions of importance

Cherry picked the competitions benchmarks. As with any good business plan analysis. Would you prefer to compare to the competition wooden spooners? ffs seriously dude.

I think he’s a very good player, no issue with the signing.

Also I reckon making tough long term decisions may cost us Kalyn, so it’s good to have a legitimate marquee attacking spine player locked up long term (on top of Sharpe).

It is also great to chase quality depth, as Melbourne do ( and looks like Sully is doing) . The media buzz about spending too much is nonsense and would not be an issue if we were the Rorters or Brisbane or any other fancied club.

When these 2 new clubs enter the comp there's going to be a few clubs without a chair when the music stops. With Sully steering the roster we wont be one of them.

 

[HarVeeGee]

I’d imagine we extended Dylan Lucas on about $700K and no one would blink an eye at that. We did it after he proved he was worth it and he’s on the same level as Martin and Crichton now, and could end up being better. There sincerely may not be a better line runner in the NRL aside from maybe Beau Fermor, and you could already stitch together a highlight reel of Dylan Lucas try saving tackles. That’s the model for us to follow in recruitment/retention.

I thought KPP was a very good prospect from what I saw in Super League and was happy with the signing… until I found out the dollar amount. f**king lunacy. Signing off on that with a lot of money already invested in a middling forward pack and - at the time - serious question marks over the spine (I think when the deal was struck, mid 2022, our signed halves were a disgruntled Jake Clifford, Adam Clune, and Anthony Milford, who we were trying to re-sign) is a sackable offence.

And from what we’ve seen so far, matching Wests’ offer would also be insane, even if it leaves us short in the short term. $600K for KPP means that the next time a player like Dylan Lucas or Fletcher Sharpe emerges, you can’t pay him and he leaves. And then you’re stuck with a $600K salary for a below average player.

Even if it means some mix of Tom Cant and our young prospects playing in that spot next year, you have to let Kai leave. Beef up the middle and the job of the edges becomes easier anyway.

Save the cap space and keep chasing high potential young props like Latu and Pahulu, and target versatile forwards in the Mitch Barnett mould, but younger, someone like Josh Curran.

 

[perverse]

Who is arguing that we should keep KPP? I've literally been calling him ineffective and overpriced for what 24 months on here? The drama will be if we don't replace him with another able body. I don't find the club just shedding forwards with no replacements lined up as acceptable recruiting like, well everyone else seems to I guess. I'm really looking forward to these signing we must be about to make.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Yosh was. Get him! Get the dog!

 

[Alex28]

I have a theory they don’t want to bring in a new coach because they know the roster is bad and it’ll be a really bad look if we sack AOB and then another coach is under pressure within 12 months.
I’d sack him anyway tbh because I think we’re playing even worse than our roster should be, but that’s my theory what they’re thinking. Also the payout but I don’t think that’s the only factor for why they haven’t pulled the trigger yet.

The point is the roster is bad. We think it is better than it is.

 

[Alex28]

We aren't near the same post code as the Panthers or Roosters either. We have to play a premium somewhere.

Also they have been at the club ages so they would have been happy to stay at lower wages the latest contract.

How many other clubs have SOO level backrowers at their club for 750k? You cherry picked the outliers to make your point.

Remember Gus’s 5 year plan that took 10 years in reality for the Panthers?

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Who is arguing that we should keep KPP? I've literally been calling him ineffective and overpriced for what 24 months on here? The drama will be if we don't replace him with another able body. I don't find the club just shedding forwards with no replacements lined up as acceptable recruiting like, well everyone else seems to I guess. I'm really looking forward to these signing we must be about to make.

You’re putting words in people’s mouths. Has anyone here actually written that they think the current situation is acceptable? You’re oversimplifying everything that goes into these sorts of processes and then acting like everyone’s really dense for not agreeing with a black and white statement that basically doesn’t take many of the factors into consideration.

This idea that we should have had a replacement for KPP lined up and publicly announced 6 months ago is ridiculous. Here are the steps that need to happen for this to come to fruition:

1. KPP says that he’s going to test the open market and the club then decides immediately that we want to look elsewhere (players test the market all the time and end up staying at their existing club, so it’s not unreasonable to think that the club still thought they could retain him and decided to put their energy towards that)

2. So let’s say the club decided at that early stage that they want a replacement immediately rather than seeing what KPP is offered elsewhere. Now they draw up a list of targets and start contacting player managers.

3. Let’s pretend that all these targets are happy to talk to us and leave their clubs to come here and also are happy to open negotiations immediately (we don’t control when players want to talk, some may want to sit down with their existing club first before entertaining external offers) however I think the possibility of a whole lot of NRL standard back rowers all being available and wanting to talk to us last November is unlikely.

4. So let’s now assume we’ve got a proper target who wants to sign with us and instead of spending months and months getting a deal done (which is what usually what happens) the player/manager just signs the first thing we put in front of him.

5. Now we all rejoice because we signed a guy to replace KPP back in November!

6. Oh btw you’re also assuming that all of the above is played out publicly through the media so that we all know it’s happening, rather than behind closed doors (which is what should happen)

@perverse I 100% agree that we will need a replacement for KPP. But what doesn’t make a whole lot of sense about what you’re saying is that you’re basically assuming that none of the above things have happened already or are currently happening. You’re essentially saying that the club is happy to let him go and not replace him but we already know from what BT has said that we’re looking for another backrower.

I’m assuming for starters that the Knights felt they could offer KPP a competitive contract and at the start they felt confident they could keep him. At some stage that opinion would have changed and they would have started contacting player managers by now or possibly have already made offers to a replacement. For all we know a contract could be on the table with another player and we’re waiting for the details to be worked out.

Also I’d much rather we signed the right replacement instead of throwing a dart at a list of back rowers and signing just anyone for the sake of having a replacement 6 months ago. Maybe the potential target wasn’t ready to talk 5-6 months ago so the club is keeping all that close to their chest.

Let’s just calm down about this. KPP is a good first grader but isn’t irreplaceable by any means so let’s just wait and see how the next few months plays out.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Bit of talk going around that Galvin will be going to the Dogs.. Any chance we can make a play for Sexton?

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Bit of talk going around that Galvin will be going to the Dogs.. Any chance we can make a play for Sexton?

He’d be a good target for sure. It would be weird for them to push him out though given how well things are working for them (last night’s performance aside) but if he was on the outer there we’d be crazy not to look at him. Even if it means Sharpe is back on the wing next year (or FB if KP goes)

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Bit of talk going around that Galvin will be going to the Dogs.. Any chance we can make a play for Sexton?

I personally dont believe it cause it makes zero sense, he doesnt really fit in to the team they have currently

Makes far more sense for him to be going to Parra or Easts

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Who is arguing that we should keep KPP? I've literally been calling him ineffective and overpriced for what 24 months on here? The drama will be if we don't replace him with another able body. I don't find the club just shedding forwards with no replacements lined up as acceptable recruiting like, well everyone else seems to I guess. I'm really looking forward to these signing we must be about to make.

I want him to stay. I still see a tonne of potential in the bloke and I think he's been performing as well as can be expected from a virtual NRL rookie.

His price tag is the issue though and I accept we shouldn't be paying anything near what the Tigers are offering

 

[HarVeeGee]

If Gus does take a big giant shit on his current 7 and their junior pathways, and assuming Kalyn is staying, the player for POS to take a crack at is Mitchell Woods. You can't imagine he'd want to stay if he's got both Galvin and Burton in his way on long term deals. Then you may have your succession plan sorted if Kalyn bails at the end of 2026 or 27.

I think this is what the King-Togia signing was about and Woods is rated a better prospect.

 

[SamSepi0l]

If Gus does take a big giant shit on his current 7 and their junior pathways, and assuming Kalyn is staying, the player for POS to take a crack at is Mitchell Woods. You can't imagine he'd want to stay if he's got both Galvin and Burton in his way on long term deals. Then you may have your succession plan sorted if Kalyn bails at the end of 2026 or 27.

I think this is what the King-Togia signing was about and Woods is rated a better prospect.

Agree here. I don't think Sexton is a great target. He's another place holder until someone better comes alone. But AGAIN, it's Sharpe and Brown.