2019 NIB Knights

Pieman wrote:haha did they.. wow.

With the way Connor Watson has been playing for the roosters, I wouldnt hate seeing him start the year at fullback for newcastle next season. Some of his kick returns are unreal. I wouldnt hate seeing Ponga start at wing or from the bench young ben barba style.

He would have been a ready made replacement for Ted at half the price for my lot-completely agree, his kick returns are awesome and his turn of speed is tremendous.  But between Lolohea and Reynolds/Brooks he probably felt he was going to be on the bench for a few more seasons.  

Ponga has to be your Fullback though, bloke is even better than Watson.  Which suggests he has been told he is starting 5/8 next year at the Knights.

Isnt Watson a tiger ?

Revraiser wrote:Isnt Watson a tiger ?

Nope, he signed with us.

2018 Gains: Herman Ese'ese (Brisbane Broncos, 2020), Aidan Guerra (Sydney Roosters, 2020), Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters, 2019), Tautau Moga (Brisbane Broncos, 2020), Kalyn Ponga (North Queensland Cowboys, 2021), Connor Watson (Sydney Roosters, 2020)

2018 Losses: Dane Gagai (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Rory Kostjasyn (retired), Sam Mataora (retired), Jarrod Mullen (released), Mickey Paea (Hull FC), Tyler Randell (Wakefield Trinity)

Re-Signed: Mitchell Barnett (2020), Danny Levi (2020), Nick Meaney (2018), Dylan Phythian (2018), Nathan Ross (2020), Sam Stone (2018)

Off Contract 2017: David Bhana, Brendan Elliot, Jaelen Feeney, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Jacob Gagan, Tom Hughes, Peter Mata'utia, Pauli Pauli, Will Pearsall, Josh Starling, Jack Stockwell, Anthony Tupou, Luke Yates - resign those guys and I'll be happy.

SI wrote:
He would have been a ready made replacement for Ted at half the price for my lot-completely agree, his kick returns are awesome and his turn of speed is tremendous.  But between Lolohea and Reynolds/Brooks he probably felt he was going to be on the bench for a few more seasons.  

Ponga has to be your Fullback though, bloke is even better than Watson.  Which suggests he has been told he is starting 5/8 next year at the Knights.

Ponga has shown glimpses, I agree - but Watson is more experienced and has been awesome starting at FB. I wouldnt mind if even to just start the season if Ponga played from the bench a bit or was introduced from the wing. Hodkinson is still on contract for next year so having him and Lamb in the halves could start the season well, a slow intro to regular first grade for Ponga would be ideal IMO.

We are bound to get an injury or 2 which would mean positional changes and there is no reason that watson couldnt play centre/wing and no reason Ponga couldnt play wing.

I really hope players have not been told that they will be the starting player in a certain position. I hope they have been told that they will have the opportunity to earn the starting spot, and if they train well and live up to their potential then they should own those positions.

Super impressed with Lamb's development. That terrible goal kick to win the game could have shattered his confidence but he has come on in leaps and bounds since then.

Honeysett wrote:

Nope, he signed with us.

2018 Gains: Herman Ese'ese (Brisbane Broncos, 2020), Aidan Guerra (Sydney Roosters, 2020), Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters, 2019), Tautau Moga (Brisbane Broncos, 2020), Kalyn Ponga (North Queensland Cowboys, 2021), Connor Watson (Sydney Roosters, 2020)

2018 Losses: Dane Gagai (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Rory Kostjasyn (retired), Sam Mataora (retired), Jarrod Mullen (released), Mickey Paea (Hull FC), Tyler Randell (Wakefield Trinity)

Re-Signed: Mitchell Barnett (2020), Danny Levi (2020), Nick Meaney (2018), Dylan Phythian (2018), Nathan Ross (2020), Sam Stone (2018)

Off Contract 2017: David Bhana, Brendan Elliot, Jaelen Feeney, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Jacob Gagan, Tom Hughes, Peter Mata'utia, Pauli Pauli, Will Pearsall, Josh Starling, Jack Stockwell, Anthony Tupou, Luke Yates - resign those guys and I'll be happy.

A club needs depth, if we can sign most of those guys for minimum contracts then great. I mean shit, Bhana, Elliot, Gagain, Pauli, Starling, Stockwell, Toupu would be lucky to get more than the minimum contract and are all decent depth players (Besides prob bhana) so if they wanted to stick around for not much money the club would be silly to let them walk.

I too want us to keep Fitzgobbon, Peter Mat and Yates. Fitz should be the next priority target even if it means losing someone like Buhrer.

Todd Carney to the knights rumour is circulating ... no thanks.

Pieman wrote:Todd Carney to the knights rumour is circulating ... no thanks.

Unfortunately Carney will never escape the image he created of himself while in the NRL previously. While he may have matured and moved on from his off field actions he will always be known for pissing in his mouth.

I hope the Knights aren't tempted to even look at Carney as an option. I am all for second chances but I think with the talent they have signed moving forward they don't really need Carney nor the risk involved in such a signing.

Yeah I agree. I have no doubt that he is still a good player, but at his age and with his dodgy hammies - not to mention the fuckup risk, he just isnt worth it. Especially when we have Lamb, Watson and Hodkinson in the side still. If he wants to sign for not that much and be a back up then you would consider it but yeah, no thanks.

I don't know how Carney has gone since he went to ESL (and I think it wasn't great), but to look back at his history objectively, his first 1-2 years have always been excellent at every club he's been to. I'm guessing he's now 30+, so that's probably all he's got in him anyway, so maybe it's not as much a risk as everyone is making out, and you might well get the bargain of the NRL.

Also, the reason he was fired from the last 2 clubs have been:
1. Making himself look stupid by pissing in his own mouth.
2. Been seen at a pub having a meal with a senior player - certainly not drunk, and it seems likely that he was having no more than 1-2 light beers.

Certainly none of these hurt anyone else, and clearly his firings were a result of what he did earlier in his career.

Having said that, I don't think I'd sign him if I was an exec at Newy. I think you've recruited quite well and on a bit of on upwards trend, so don't need him. I wouldn't be too quick to rule him out either though. To be honest I reckon if I was at somewhere like the Titans or Dogs, where you have players with potential but are in the doldrums, I think he could be a good fit. I'm sure the Dogs aren't in the picture with their cap dramas though, unless they are somehow able to get out of the Foran deal. For the Dogs, I reckon Carney at maybe $250K- $300K is a much better option than a $1M Foran right now.

Where does he play though? We have Watson and Lamb for the halves next year. Ponga plays fullback. 
Do you shift Watson to fullback and put ponga on the wing to have carney in the side? 

I wouldn't want to risk losing someone like Watson, Lamb or Ponga just to get a year or 2 out of carney. 

If he wanted to sign a cheap deal then yeah, you would think about it but I don't think he would be looking for 2-300k - would me more like 700k which just isn't worth it. 

If we hadn't got ponga and Watson I would definitely be less opposed to it. 

I think he was sacked or released from the Dragons because of his drinking and partying etc. Shit that never really made it to the news but that and a mixture of always being injured etc and they were happy to let him go.

I don't remember Carney playing for the Dragons, only the Raiders, Roosters and Sharks. Personally I wouldn't have Watson at 5/8 with or without Carney. A bit like Jack Bird I'd be happy for him to fill in there occasionally, but would more prefer him in the back row or centre.

Agree that if he wants $700K then he shouldn't even be considered. At a stretch I might go to $400K but that's it. I'm not even sure if he'd be on much in the ESL. Haven't they got a much smaller cap than the NRL?

Catalans dragons

Why would you think watson would go ok in the back row? Hes pretty small.
He has only played fullback and 6 in and a tiny bit of hooker in the NRL... I see him as a fullback or 6.

Milchcow wrote:

Its pretty shocking that we have wife bashers and drunk drivers all over the NRL, but drinking your own urine is seen as career destroying.

This.

He was pissed as a fart and sampling his own urine....WOW can't say I haven't done that in youth rugby several times

He did it because it was sterile and he liked the taste...

Knights chasing Slade Griffin according to Barry Toohey. Could be a solid signing if they can get him at the right price. He reminds me of Ryan Hinchcliffe, can play hooker and lock at a pinch.

Would be the replacement for Kostjasyn or how ever u spell it. Good signing if it happens. Would much prefer someone like that over Guerra or blair.

Pieman wrote:Would be the replacement for Kostjasyn or how ever u spell it. Good signing if it happens. Would much prefer someone like that over Guerra or blair.

Yes that's exactly what I thought. As you said a good signing, although price is key. Newcastle have recruited really well for next year, Browny is doing a fantastic job in acquiring talent from top 8 clubs such as the Roosters, Broncos and Cowboys. If they can round off their signings for next year with a tough prop like Graham (since Bulldogs are rumored to be over the cap and need to offload a few players) then they will be in a great position for next year.

Wardell released for next year.
Randell released immediately.

Also all this talk about Graham to the Dragons has me worried that we have signed slightly Above average prop Adam Blair.

Someone really doesn't like Pieman with all the downvotes

Pieman wrote:Wardell released for next year.
Randell released immediately.

Also all this talk about Graham to the Dragons has me worried that we have signed slightly Above average prop Adam Blair.

Wardell never really found his feet, although was starting to get there.

Randall isn't a loss.

I'd like to see us sign some decent 9 cover though. I feel we're an injury away from lacking depth.