Rumours and Stuff

[Chipmunk]

Tapine? I believe Newcastle wanted to keep him.

They were running last, and ran last for the next few seasons. Why wouldn't he want to leave?

Who else expressed an interest at the time?

If you compared him to a current player of similar quality of what he was at the time (a young player who was considered a player with high potential, with 20 NRL appearances across two seasons, at the club running last), then you probably would be looking at Shawn Blore at the Tigpies for comparison. Not the biggest name in the world in reality.

 

[emjaycee]

They were running last, and ran last for the next few seasons. Why wouldn't he want to leave?

Who else expressed an interest at the time?

If you compared him to a current player of similar quality of what he was at the time (a young player who was considered a player with high potential, with 20 NRL appearances across two seasons, at the club running last), then you probably would be looking at Shawn Blore at the Tigpies for comparison. Not the biggest name in the world in reality.

Or Isiah Papalii at the Warriors.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

If what you say is true then nobody is in a position to say if a player is good or bad. I’m sure you don’t really think that.

Good/bad is a simplistic, binary way to assess players. It’s only suitable for dopes and trolls (“lol you signed a bad player!!!”)

The only logical way to assess players is to compare them to others. Of course then the trolls will counter with “lol as if you can talk about those two in the same sentence!! lolol!!!” but who cares, they are trolls. By definition uninterested in discussion.

As for Isaako, I reckon overall he is a better winger than Waqa Blake. Can also play fullback but is too high risk to be first choice in a competitive team.

 

[Chipmunk]

Or Isiah Papalii at the Warriors.

Lets compare:
- Tapine was signed by the Canberra Raiders in February 2016 for the following 2017 season. Was granted an early release and went to the Raiders. He was 21 years and 9 months old and at the time had made 20 appearances across two seasons for the Knights. He made his NRL debut at the age of 20 years and 7 days, and had played no senior representative football at time of signing at the Raiders

- Blore is signed at the Tigpies until the end of 2023. He is currently 22 years and 1 month old (4 months older than Tapine when he signed with the Raiders) and has made 18 appearances for the Tigpies across three seasons (2 less games to Tapine when he signed with the Raiders). He was 19 years and 357 days old when he played NRL (15 days earlier than Tapine), and has played no senior representative football at this time.

- Isiah Papalii played his first NRL match at 18 years and 6 months (18 months earlier than both Tapine and Blore), and was signed by us in October 2020, when he was 22 years and 1 month old (the same age as Blore) at the time he had played 63 NRL matches (more than three times of Tapine and Blore at the same stage) across 4 seasons, and had represented New Zealand at the senior level.

Tapine and Blore I think are virtually the same at that stage. When he signed with the Raiders, Joseph Tapine was no Isiah Papalii at the time he had signed with us.

 

[SneakyEel]

Looking forward to Hopgood next year. After watching him this year I think he's going to walk into our starting lock jersey next year. He looks like a very good buy. I think we recruit A.Fifita and Taupau for the bench. Fifita has really impressed me this year has worked on his fitness and looks good wouldn't be against signing him for a year. Russell also has to be in the side next year he'll be even bigger and stronger next year so he's a must-have in our 13. A team of:

1. Gutherson
2. Sivo
3. Blake
4. Penisini
5. Russell
6. D.Brown
7. Moses
8. Campbell-Gillard
9. Hodgson
10. Paulo
11. Lane
12. Matterson
13. Hopgood
14. Rein
15. Cartwright
16. Taupau
17. A.Fifita

Is arguably superior to what we have this year. Especially the bench. Also adding Barrett to our coaching staff I think we could be a dark horse.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

They were running last, and ran last for the next few seasons. Why wouldn't he want to leave?

Who else expressed an interest at the time?

If you compared him to a current player of similar quality of what he was at the time (a young player who was considered a player with high potential, with 20 NRL appearances across two seasons, at the club running last), then you probably would be looking at Shawn Blore at the Tigpies for comparison. Not the biggest name in the world in reality.

Which is why he could be good value. Would you be surprised if Blore went to a better club and had a Papali’i style breakout season? I certainly wouldn’t. But you wouldn’t pay big money on that potential. It was the same with Tapine. He could’ve become another Joe Stimson. There’s no guarantees.

 

[Chipmunk]

Which is why he could be good value. Works your be surprised if Blore went to a better club and had a Papali’i style breakout season? I certainly wouldn’t. But you wouldn’t pay big money on that potential. It was the same with Tapine. He could’ve become another Joe Stimson. There’s no guarantees.

I wouldn't be surprised if Blore turned out good, but the Raiders took a big gamble to get Tapine...

The Faids reportedly paid big money for Tapine. Considerably more than what we paid Papali'i that's for sure.

$1.5m over 3 seasons apparently. We could've almost kept Papali'i next year for that.

Ricky cheques out Joe

POLL: The Knights could not match a huge offer from the Raiders for one of their young guns.

www.newcastleherald.com.au

What 21-22 year old with 20 games of NRL wouldn't take that cash, no matter where it was and who the coach is (which was the original premise of my argument about Sticky attracting players).

 

[Chipmunk]

Looking forward to Hopgood next year. After watching him this year I think he's going to walk into our starting lock jersey next year. He looks like a very good buy. I think we recruit A.Fifita and Taupau for the bench. Fifita has really impressed me this year has worked on his fitness and looks good wouldn't be against signing him for a year. Russell also has to be in the side next year he'll be even bigger and stronger next year so he's a must-have in our 13. A team of:

1. Gutherson
2. Sivo
3. Blake
4. Penisini
5. Russell
6. D.Brown
7. Moses
8. Campbell-Gillard
9. Hodgson
10. Paulo
11. Lane
12. Matterson
13. Hopgood
14. Rein
15. Cartwright
16. Taupau
17. A.Fifita

Is arguably superior to what we have this year. Especially the bench. Also adding Barrett to our coaching staff I think we could be a dark horse.

Rein is going to have to be on the bench unless we can sign a genuine 14. I posted yesterday that I would like to see us consider someone who can be a genuine back up number 7, but could also fill in at dummy half for 15 minutes per week. I don't think Jake Arthur is this player at this stage of his career.

I think you'd only get one of Taupau or Fifita, they're probably worth too much to someone else for us to get both. Both could potentially end up back at the Tigpies on big money.

 

[Avenger]

Whatever happened to Hands and Yates? Not at that level yet?

 

[SneakyEel]

Rein is going to have to be on the bench unless we can sign a genuine 14. I posted yesterday that I would like to see us consider someone who can be a genuine back up number 7, but could also fill in at dummy half for 15 minutes per week. I don't think Jake Arthur is this player at this stage of his career.

I think you'd only get one of Taupau or Fifita, they're probably worth too much to someone else for us to get both. Both could potentially end up back at the Tigpies on big money.

I doubt Fifita would be on much 300k is around what his worth. Taupau wouldn't be expensive either. We definitely need to go after an O'Sullivan-type back up half. Not knocking Arthur but he isn't anywhere near first-grade quality. Josh Reynolds and Willy Smith come to mind. Both would be solid 14s as well.

 

[lucablight]

Good/bad is a simplistic, binary way to assess players. It’s only suitable for dopes and trolls (“lol you signed a bad player!!!”)

The only logical way to assess players is to compare them to others. Of course then the trolls will counter with “lol as if you can talk about those two in the same sentence!! lolol!!!” but who cares, they are trolls. By definition uninterested in discussion.

As for Isaako, I reckon overall he is a better winger than Waqa Blake. Can also play fullback but is too high risk to be first choice in a competitive team.

I don’t think it’s that deep. Just because player A is better than player B doesn’t mean they can’t both be bad.
I disagree strongly with with Isaako being a better winger than Blake. Waqa is heart attack material for sure but his power alone makes him better.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I wouldn't be surprised if Blore turned out good, but the Raiders took a big gamble to get Tapine...

The Faids reportedly paid big money for Tapine. Considerably more than what we paid Papali'i that's for sure.

$1.5m over 3 seasons apparently. We could've almost kept Papali'i next year for that.

Ricky cheques out Joe

POLL: The Knights could not match a huge offer from the Raiders for one of their young guns.

www.newcastleherald.com.au

What 21-22 year old with 20 games of NRL wouldn't take that cash, no matter where it was and who the coach is (which was the original premise of my argument about Sticky attracting players).

I don’t think he’s especially good at attracting players, but he is probably a good judge. Someone at the Raiders must be. And they are absolutely hampered by their location. I only bright up Tapine as an example of a player signed from elsewhere in regional NSW. He’s obviously happy not to live in a big city.

 

[Chipmunk]

I doubt Fifita would be on much 300k is around what his worth. Taupau wouldn't be expensive either. We definitely need to go after an O'Sullivan-type back up half. Not knocking Arthur but he isn't anywhere near first-grade quality. Josh Reynolds and Willy Smith come to mind. Both would be solid 14s as well.

I think one of Fifita or Taupau would do. I think we can probably find someone else to do a job for us for about $150 to fill the other role. I'm not sure exactly who that is at the moment though.

 

[hindy111]

Whatever happened to Hands and Yates? Not at that level yet?

Yates was flat out making NSW CUP. Hands was unable to take Reins spot.
Sounds like two hyped up plodders.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I don’t think it’s that deep. Just because player A is better than player B doesn’t mean they can’t both be bad.

It all depends on your threshold for ‘bad’. If we’re talking top 30 quality I reckon your threshold is far too high. Have a look at some of the backups in the top 30 at the biggest clubs. Absolute nuffies. Isaako is better than probably half the contracted players in the NRL.

 

[Chipmunk]

I don’t think he’s especially good at attracting players, but he is probably a good judge. Someone at the Raiders must be. And they are absolutely hampered by their location. I only bright up Tapine as an example of a player signed from elsewhere in regional NSW. He’s obviously happy not to live in a big city.

I'm actually surprised at the amount of players who want to move to Sydney to be honest. I guess this is coming from someone who would never really ever want to live there though. I've never really got the attraction, particularly the further west you go. I can understand why people from there would want to stay there though.

You can see why the English players would be attracted to Canberra though, they're from smaller places like Canberra, plus the weather ironically is better. I can't ever see why a Kiwi player would necessarily choose a Sydney club over a non Sydney club though.

 

[Gazzamatta]

Looking forward to Hopgood next year. After watching him this year I think he's going to walk into our starting lock jersey next year. He looks like a very good buy. I think we recruit A.Fifita and Taupau for the bench. Fifita has really impressed me this year has worked on his fitness and looks good wouldn't be against signing him for a year. Russell also has to be in the side next year he'll be even bigger and stronger next year so he's a must-have in our 13. A team of:

1. Gutherson
2. Sivo
3. Blake
4. Penisini
5. Russell
6. D.Brown
7. Moses
8. Campbell-Gillard
9. Hodgson
10. Paulo
11. Lane
12. Matterson
13. Hopgood
14. Rein
15. Cartwright
16. Taupau
17. A.Fifita

Is arguably superior to what we have this year. Especially the bench. Also adding Barrett to our coaching staff I think we could be a dark horse.

*Cayless

 

[Gronk]

Whatever happened to Hands and Yates? Not at that level yet?

Yates was flat out making NSW CUP. Hands was unable to take Reins spot.
Sounds like two hyped up plodders.

Don't listen to him. Both are coming along fine.

Both will feature in the club's futures IMHO because they are old fashioned footy players. Both are still young FFS.

 

[Chipmunk]

Don't listen to him. Both are coming along fine.

Both will feature in the club's futures IMHO because they are old fashioned footy players. Both are still young FFS.

Hands will be at least 23 before he plays an NRL game. What gives you the impression he will be a good player?

 

[Avenger]

Yates was flat out making NSW CUP. Hands was unable to take Reins spot.
Sounds like two hyped up plodders.

I reckon Hodgson will surprise many next season.