2019 NIB Knights

Ice wrote:

Eels the rightful 2009 premiers, we all know it

Interesting fact, if every team that the Storm beat in the 2009 regular season was awarded 2 points instead, Parra would have missed the 8.

Dip, I think we can agree on 1 thing, that is, we disagree. You like the success TPA's bring to your club, I suffer through years of disappointments because of what TPA's have perceived to have done to my club.

It hasn't happened yet but do we want to see a league like the English Premier League were only about 5 clubs have a chance of winning (exclude last year). I guess if your a supporter of one of these clubs you would love the success, all I'm saying its not fair to bleed poor clubs of talent because of these TPA's.

bluetige wrote:Dip, I think we can agree on 1 thing, that is, we disagree. You like the success TPA's bring to your club, I suffer through years of disappointments because of what TPA's have perceived to have done to my club.

It hasn't happened yet but do we want to see a league like the English Premier League were only about 5 clubs have a chance of winning (exclude last year). I guess if your a supporter of one of these clubs you would love the success, all I'm saying its not fair to bleed poor clubs of talent because of these TPA's.

The last thing any decent supporter wants to see is a competition like that. I'm sure TPA's are an advantage, but I think it's overstated personally and if you think TPA's are the reason for why the Tigers are in a mess now I think you're looking in the wrong area. There are heaps of factors that aren't fair and a factor in success in this competition - travel requirements, corporate support, match scheduling, no draft, access to doctors/recovery facilities, test and origin commitments etc.

I actually think we've got a very even competition. There has been no back to back premier in the last 18 seasons, 8 different teams in the grand final in the last 4 seasons, and since the turn of the century in 2001, 16 seasons in total, there's been 12 different premiership winners (one of the other 4 teams hasn't been in the comp for 6 of those seasons). In the Daily Telegraph Tipping Comp the leaders (out of 36073 players) have 61 tips after 10 rounds, which includes 4 points in bonus' for getting 8/8. That means that the best tipper in the country is getting over a quarter of tips wrong, which shows there is significant number of upsets - further showing the closeness of the competition. Compare those numbers to any other competition in the world.

Hard to argue against Dip. Makes a lot of great points.

I don't think TPA are the be all and end all but they certainly do help the build a squad that has more of a chance to win the whole thing. Whether they go on and do that is another thing.

Knights need to sign someone big up forward. We need that Roy Asotasi moment. Turned Souths from also rans to a premiership force in future years by highlighting that the club could bring a big name in. For mine that player is James Graham. Pay him overs if we need to because we'll get it back tenfold.

While in the past TPAs haven't been a big factor I think going forward they will. Wasn't there a report last season that there was a million dollar difference for the top club to bottom clubs.

It's becoming a factor now as the richer clubs are working out how to use them. They are sourcing them and then putting the player managers onto them and the third party is saying only if you sign for my club. Technically it's against the rules but the NRL is doing nothing to stop it

Dip wrote:

The last thing any decent supporter wants to see is a competition like that. I'm sure TPA's are an advantage, but I think it's overstated personally and if you think TPA's are the reason for why the Tigers are in a mess now I think you're looking in the wrong area. There are heaps of factors that aren't fair and a factor in success in this competition - travel requirements, corporate support, match scheduling, no draft, access to doctors/recovery facilities, test and origin commitments etc.

I actually think we've got a very even competition. There has been no back to back premier in the last 18 seasons, 8 different teams in the grand final in the last 4 seasons, and since the turn of the century in 2001, 16 seasons in total, there's been 12 different premiership winners (one of the other 4 teams hasn't been in the comp for 6 of those seasons). In the Daily Telegraph Tipping Comp the leaders  (out of 36073 players) have 61 tips after 10 rounds, which includes 4 points in bonus' for getting 8/8. That means that the best tipper in the country is getting over a quarter of tips wrong, which shows there is significant number of upsets - further showing the closeness of the competition. Compare those numbers to any other competition in the world.

You do make some good points mate, but realistically, every year, while there are upsets and the odd surprise here or there - there are only 4 or so teams who are a realistic chance of winning the competition. I dont think TPA's are the be all and end all of success, but they certainly give an advantage to the more glam clubs in the club and disadvantage the poor ones.
They literally work against the entire idea of a salary cap.

The NRL should adopt an NBA style luxury tax. For every dollar spent on a TPA, the team's should be taxed the same amount by the NRL and then that amount should be used to grow the game or split between the entire league. You cant just run free with them, its stupid.

As far as newie is concerned, yep, someone like Graham or a Matt Scott (from 3/4 years ago) changes the entire side and all of a sudden we are semi competitive. Looks like Graham wont be leaving the dogs early tho. We need a Burgess, Fifita, Klemmer or Graham to help change the side.

Fuck, offer Gallen a 1 year deal work a fair chunk - he would help as much as I dont like him.

Nathan Ross dropped. Huge mistake. He's a fan favourite, gives his absolute all every week despite being grossly underpaid. I feel this is the first mistake from the head office we have made in recent times. Could cause player unrest with these type of stunts.

Yeah its pretty shit.

I like Brown's hard stance, they know who is in charge and Ross should have done it privately not out in the media like that.

A private talking to should be enough for Ross, and .. well.. he is right. The guy is close to the form winger in the comp this year and should be paid a bit better. In saying that, this is what - his second year of first grade and he is a winger getting paid 150 at least so far out he is doing ok IMO.

Are newcastle chasing Maloney? Cronk?
Cody Walker?
Chambers as a replacement for Gagai?

Maloney could get above his asking price at newie surely, and im sure newie would happily pay the 600k or so that walker is asking for from souths. Both are quality players and would make for a pretty fucking good halves pairing.

I really love the way walker has played this year.

Fuck, chuck a million at shannon boyd or klemmer or someone like that. We have cash to spend and if we can sign someone like that on a deal for 2 years, we should do it. Newcastle have to do something like that if we cant get Graham. Tolman would be a great signing.

FUCK that. Would rather see Newcastle do better than Roosters, Eels, etc.

This "we have to pay overs" shit is beginning to annoy me. It's Newcastle - not PlagueTown.

The management isn't as retarded as the Tigers or Eels. It's not a basket case club like the Warriors.

Playing devils advocate - Ross asking for more cash is actually a sign of his pride in the club. Not exactly sure what i'm saying here, bit I'd kinda like it if the Knights could stop accepting their bottom rung on the ladder.

Hodkinson wasn't a bad signing, he's just busted. The more everyone talks about how shit Newcastle are, the more it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy that it's impossible to get anyone to play or stay there.

Sorry mate but you are wrong.

At the moment, and for the past few years - newcastle has not been a place that players want to play footy.

Its in the same situation as canberra was a few years ago.

As soon as newcastle get a big name or 2, other players want to come.
What good back rower wants to run off Jaleen feeney? Fucking none. They dont even want to run off hodkinson - he was not a bad signing. Paying him 700k plus was a bad signing. Look at what happened to Tariq sims. World beater running off JT, absolute spud at newcastle. Newcastle's best player is leaving next year too. We need some big names who are also quality players.

Ross want to be paid more because the club has money and because he is one of the better players in the side. It is as simple as that.

I'm feeling bad for ya, not pickin' on ya! (sorry about the two head speak).

But, if you signed Maloney and TTurbo today, it still wouldn't do more than screw your cap. You've got a local bloke asking for a fair go.... And he felt he had to go to the Media make his case.

Dumb, but warranted? At least he's putting in....

We sent a pretty clear message that we want to be a professional club.

I don't agree with spending $1m for Klemmer or Boyd either.

We've got $3mil to spend next year. That's Cronk plus two really solid props if we could manage it. However I doubt he'd want to come to us considering how far out of Sydney we are.

We do need a big name, someone highly respected. I wish we had this money while Cordner was still available. He would have been perfect. We need a great half and we need a couple more props. Backs as long as they can finish are interchangeable.

Honeysett wrote:We sent a pretty clear message that we want to be a professional club.

I don't agree with spending $1m for Klemmer or Boyd either.

We've got $3mil to spend next year. That's Cronk plus two really solid props if we could manage it. However I doubt he'd want to come to us considering how far out of Sydney we are.

We do need a big name, someone highly respected. I wish we had this money while Cordner was still available. He would have been perfect. We need a great half and we need a couple more props. Backs as long as they can finish are interchangeable.

Surprised Brown isn't delving in the ESL with his experience there, plenty of quality props there who would likely kill for a shot at the NRL

dasherhalo wrote:I'm feeling bad for ya, not pickin' on ya! (sorry about the two head speak).

But, if you signed Maloney and TTurbo today, it still wouldn't do more than screw your cap. You've got a local bloke asking for a fair go.... And he felt he had to go to the Media make his case.

Dumb, but warranted? At least he's putting in....

I dont disagree that Ross should be paid more. He clearly should be. But, going to the media screams Gen Y bullshit, and he was punished for it. I do believe he will get an upgrade and a significant one. But, no offence to him - he is a great winger and seems to do a lot off the field too, blokes like that help but dont turn a club around. A big name, quality prop will. A big name half will. Someone like Maloney (And in your example TTrbo too) would 100% help attract other players. Strange that you would say that bringing in one of the best halves and one of the best young fullbacks in the game wouldnt help turn a club around.

He got a start because the team was so shit. He has proven he can match it and do better than most established first graders, he signed a contract and should honour it and wait till his next one before he gets an upgrade. He is going to have a short first grade career and he is trying to cash in right now. In reality he is 28, inexperienced with 34 first grade games under his belt. He is getting paid at least 150k and the bloke is demanding an upgrade mid contract, who the fuck does he think he is?

We were going to pay a mil for a 31 year old matt scott.
Playing close to that for a young klemmer would be a good move IMO. he is a guy that we could build a pack around. You chuck him in and all of a sudden Klemmer Saifiti Buhrer Matutia Barnett - is a pretty fucking good young pack i reckon. Sam stone looks like he could be really good too.

He isnt a local bloke too.
Born on the gold coast, played for burleigh and coogee. then overseas. Played footy when he got a job at the mines near newcastle

klem isn't off contract untill after 2020 tho

there really isn't much available this year at prop, adam blair is the best one but he struggled in a mediocre tigers pack so doubt he is the answer


Fifita is off next year tho, should be Target for 2019, he'll be 29 at the start of that season and still have plenty of good footy in him

I probably wasn't making my point clear (drunk posting tends to cloud things!).

You already bought Hodko, which didn't do shit (not entirely his fault due to injury). There's only a handful of marquee players around that a genuinely going to bring people to the club, and to get them to Newcastle, you'll pay an absolute fortune. That's going to screw with your cap. Sure- someone might follow, but they'll want a higher offer as well.

So, now you've got 2-3 high recognition players, and no money to buy more, or upgrade contracts on guys that are actually coming through the system.

THAT'S what I'd hate the Knights to do. Plus, there's the possibility of another dud star.

Last year everyone was talking about the fresh new squad coming through, and agreed they'd need a few years. Half a season later, you want to shop the top of the market.

Not having a go: I'm just preaching patience. Also - definitely not defending the dick move of Ross. I was using him as an example of a player already there that wanted to be there. But - what a dumbass.

No worries mate, but I think my point is - we are not all that far off the pack and we do have money to spend.

Newcastle also apparently have 3 mil or something left in the cap for next year. Investing in someone like Klemmer - paying him more now than what he is worth is exactly what we did with Ponga. Its an investment. All the best teams have marquee players and paying for a marquee prop like Klemmer for example, maybe a little prematurely, is an investment that helps fast track the turn around.

Paying for a guy like Hodkinson has been a massive failure. He has shown that he only operates well behind a gun pack - which is fair enough. Most/all halfbacks are like that. He is more of a game manager and we are getting similar/better output from brock lamb who would cost a fraction of what Hodkinson does.

Losing a guy like Gagai really hurts, but I feel that brown has done the right thing by not over paying him too much. He was already on overs (600k or so) and I can only assume he has left to go to souths - who are also strugglers at the moment but a lot closer to the pack than newie - for more money than that.

It also leaves a chunk of cash to sign a quality prop.
SIgning someone like Tolman who is an above average prop - would help. But he doesnt have that "leader of the pack" vibe about him that a Graham/Klemmer/Scott have.
But yep, chasing a Graham, fifita, Klemmer kind of guy and landing one would really help.

Pieman wrote:



He got a start because the team was so shit. He has proven he can match it and do better than most established first graders, he signed a contract and should honour it and wait till his next one before he gets an upgrade. He is going to have a short first grade career and he is trying to cash in right now. In reality he is 28, inexperienced with 34 first grade games under his belt. He is getting paid at least 150k and the bloke is demanding an upgrade mid contract, who the fuck does he think he is?

Walker is/was in a similar situation. If they wanted more money than they should have signed short term deals and backed themselves to increase their market value. The fact that they didn't just shows that they thought they were being valued fairly.