2017/2018 Knights Player signing speculation

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Jaybro said:
With Foran, Townsend & Widdop seemingly off the list now looks like it's either Tyrone, Reynolds or Frawley .......

I'd only take Tyrone if we could get him now, could use him at fullback
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Urgh talk about going from the penthouse to the doghouse. Wouldn't want any of them.
 
Frawley reminds me exactly of An in form fit younger Hodkinson. Worst part is Hodkinson was an awesome defender when he came from Q Cup and into Manly
 
He was hoping to playing finals footy this year lol

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...s/news-story/ca7c0713ff6678be6935ae21b05738fc

HAD it not been Dane Gagai, you would’ve been tempted to grab his wrist and check for a pulse.

“I don’t care what anyone says, I’m looking at playing in the finals this year,’’ Gagai said ahead of Sunday’s season-opener for Newcastle against New Zealand.

Sorry Dane, did you say finals footy for the Newcastle Knights?

“100 per cent,’’ Gagai confirmed.

“If you weren’t looking to play finals, what’s the point in playing. Everyone wants to win every game.

“That’s the whole point, you turn up every weekend to win and this season, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.

“I know a lot of the other boys are focused on that as well.’’

Two seasons ago, Gagai was rushed to hospital after almost blacking out during the warm-up of a match in Canberra.

His head spinning, the 26-year-old tried breathing into a paper bag, thinking that surely it must only be nerves and that he was hyperventilating.

By the end of the night, the gifted centre was on an operating table, receiving electric shock treatment.

The heavy charge of electricity returned Gagai’s heart back to a regular beat.

Gagai was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes irregular heartbeat and is most common with marathon runners.

It wasn’t the only shock he received.

Told by doctors that his life would go on, to the full and just as strong on the football field, Gagai remained a nervous wreck for days, slapping two fingers on his throat and wrist, every few minutes.

That was, until he received an unexpected phone call from Nine’s voice of rugby league, legendary broadcaster, Ray Warren.

“I got a call from Ray Warren and he told me that he had had the exact same thing 40-years earlier,’’ Gagai said.

“I was paranoid about it, but Ray called me and said he’s never had it again since.

“He said he’s been going for runs, playing golf, I can’t tell you how good that was to know.

“I’d never met Ray before and I just got a call out of the blue.

“Obviously he’s a legend and everyone knows who is, so to get that call out of nowhere, it meant so much.’’

Prior to taking on the much-hyped Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday, Gagai proudly declared: “I’ve had no problems since.’’

Which is great news, but it also depends how one views ‘problems’.

For long-suffering Knights fans, it’s been one problem after another.

And nobody knows this more, than Gagai, who’ll run out for his sixth season this year with the Knights.

Incredibly, through the departure of his first-ever NRL coach Wayne Bennett from Newcastle back to Brisbane, embarrassment and torment from two consecutive wooden spoons in the red and blue and the monthly lure to sign with a rival club, Gagai has stuck solid.

In an era when the only time you’ll read the word sport and loyal is on the side of a boat in the Sydney to Hobart, Gagai is everything the rebuilding Knights should be thankful for.

And now, despite being $151 rank outsiders with the TAB to win the 2017 NRL premiership, Gagai is talking finals.

“Obviously it’s no secret that over the past couple of seasons it hasn’t been the best for us,’’ the doting father of nine-month old Dante said.

“Not so long ago, we had a good crew of young guys coming through, with me, Tyrone Roberts, Robbie Rochow, Alex McKinnon and Korbin Sims, so there was a lot to look forward to a couple of years ago.

“Through an unfortunate circumstance with Alex, a lot of things changed after that and a lot of the boys started to taking off.

“Last year (leaving the club) did cross my mind.

“But Nathan Brown didn’t really get an opportunity last year to put together the team that he wanted due to salary cap reasons and so he had to play young guys earlier than he probably should’ve.

“But those players are going to be a lot better for that.

“And I can see where Nathan is taking this club and the people he’s bringing in. We’ve picked up Jamie Buhrer, Josh Starling, Rory Kostjaysen and Ken Sio.

“Even just those players alone, have already made an impact on the team. It’s one of the best pre-seasons I’ve had.

“For me, it’s about trying to be something bigger than just myself. It’s about getting this club back into the winners’ circle and I believe that this club is heading into the right direction to do that.’’
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An interview with another player not so long ago they were talking finals footy lol.

No chance. But I admire the optimism. Shows the mindset Brown has them in.

What happens to the team now, that they realise they are not playing finals this year.
 
Pretty well spoken by him to say those sorts of things. May be there is hope we will retain him beyond his current contract.

And to be honest, if he didn't want to be apart of it after this I wouldn't blame him. He's been loyal enough and hasn't wussed out of his contract like other players have.
 
For mine I think Gags will seriously consider the Saints offer.

They lead the competition and we linger at last. How much of a decision is that?
 
Of current players in the NRL, only Billy Slater (172), Manu Vatuvei (152), Greg Inglis (139), Brett Morris (134) and Michael Jennings (123) have crossed the stripe more often than SKD.

He has also scored nine tries in 20 Tests for the Kiwis and was a member of the Roosters’ 2013 grand final winning team, playing much of that game with a broken jaw.....His hands cant have been too bad and who do we have in the backs with that kind of experience ....
 
im starting to warm to the SKD deal. But id struggle to pay 350k+ for him tbh. Hopefully we get him at the right price!
 
Why are we even entertaining this? He's over the hill aand a liability at this stage. He's an even more frustrating version of Uate because he makes heaps of unforced errors. I'd rather not sign anyone than sign this dud.
 
mozza said:
Why are we even entertaining this? He's over the hill aand a liability at this stage. He's an even more frustrating version of Uate because he makes heaps of an unforced errors. I'd rather not sign anyone than sign this dud.
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Change of sceneray might be good. I think the key is, is what do our current squad rate him like? If they look up to him and think he's good he could be worth it. He's never really played a leadership role either so it might find another gear for him.

I think we'd be fairly naive not to keep an open mind about most players.
 
The consensus around us is we need a quality half and props. What would signing a winger whose is error prone really do for us?

Why would anyone look up to him? He was one of the worst players in a premiership winning side? We already have that in Kostjaysn.
He's played in NZ's backline? So has Gerard Beale and Lewis Brown.

There would be nothing positive about signing him and if it's as a replacement for Gagai I'd be questioning Brown's sanity.
 
Daniel Tupou and Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Blake Ferguson all gone from Roosters?? Id take all 3 0f them especially Ferguson .This was on the Lurker .
 
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mozza said:
The consensus around us is we need a quality half and props. What would signing a winger whose is error prone really do for us?

Why would anyone look up to him? He was one of the worst players in a premiership winning side? We already have that in Kostjaysn.
He's played in NZ's backline? So has Gerard Beale and Lewis Brown.

There would be nothing positive about signing him and if it's as a replacement for Gagai I'd be questioning Brown's sanity.
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Yeah I don't like the idea of him being our next signing. But if we got him for cheap I'd be happy. Can't agree more on the props and half
 
packo said:
Yeah I don't like the idea of him being our next signing. But if we got him for cheap I'd be happy. Can't agree more on the props and half
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Signing someone like him would be a step backwards imo. No matter how cheap.
 
member 2299 said:
For mine I think Gags will seriously consider the Saints offer.

They lead the competition and we linger at last. How much of a decision is that?
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There can be more to a decision than winning though. Hopefully we get him sorted prior to origin announcements.

If not, and he loses his qld spot he could look elsewhere to get more highlights in a winning team who can put his skills to good use.

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