Marty Taupau

In fact, the club may not be in a position to chase any new big name signings until 2021 unless current players are moved on with the majority of the playing group locked in for at least the next two seasons.

Of the club’s senior players, only Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Jamie Buhrer and Slade Griffin are off contract at the end of next season.

Complicating the situation for the club are contract upgrades in 2020 including a significant one for Kalyn Ponga and potential bonuses if the Knights should exceed expectations next season and finish in the top four.

Knights CEO Phil Gardner confirmed there will be little room to move on the recruitment front for 2020.

“If we are able to sign [David] Klemmer and [Kurt] Mann, I would say the queue would be in the rack, other than some possible movement around swaps,” he said.

Asked specifically about the chances of making another play for Pangai, a major target who knocked back an offer from the Knights earlier this year to remain at the Broncos for a further season, Gardner said: “You never say never about anyone but it’s probably very unlikely we’ll be in a position to go there for ‘20.

“We have put together a playing roster for next season which we believe will be highly competitive and we can certainly grow and improve with. And we have some exciting juniors coming through underneath that.

“We’ll be keeping some money in our current cap but if we finish in the top four, there’ll be a whole lot of bonuses that have to be paid going into the season after that.

“What we need to be is prudent so that we make sure we have enough left in the cap to be able to afford the upgrades and the possible bonuses. We will certainly be doing that.”
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I think the club will be looking to offload Levi and Ross which will give us 700K to spend on a gun player, unless we can move those guys on we're likely to be finished going after the big fish

Rebuild almost complete?
 
You need to replace them both in the top 30, so it would be 600k (less whatever we need to kick in to get rid of them) + 100k.

But Ross has said he isn't going anywhere, happy to play Cup and fight for a spot because his child has just started school and he wants to stay local.

So, yes, rebuild over.
 
Jaybro said:
Rebuild almost complete?
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Pretty close. At this stage, our top line 17 is looking pretty good. Once you get that right, then we'll see the best of our juniors too. Rather than being pushed into first-grade before their time, in a bad situation where they can't develop, now we should only see the best of the best come through & have to work their way into the side, surrounded by a core of first-graders. Then for once, we might have those gun juniors that get a couple of games, make an instant impression & everyone takes notice of, rather than wondering why our juniors are so ****.
 
slotmachine said:
You need to replace them both in the top 30, so it would be 600k (less whatever we need to kick in to get rid of them) + 100k.

But Ross has said he isn't going anywhere, happy to play Cup and fight for a spot because his child has just started school and he wants to stay local.

So, yes, rebuild over.
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That's assuming we're at max capacity cap wise, I presuming we have a bit left over.

But yes we would have to replace both guys, one could be a youngster on mins. whilst the other could be a 700K player if we unload Rossy & Levi.

Ross can say he wants to stay all he likes and he has every right to do so, but his age and stage of his career that would be stupid to do so. Unless he's happy for this to be his last decent NRL deal he should do the smart thing and move to another club if he can secure a longer deal. He won't lose out any money and will secure a longer career.

Spending the next 2 seasons in park football won't do him any favours.
 
Jaybro said:
That's assuming we're at max capacity cap wise, I presuming we have a bit left over.

But yes we would have to replace both guys, one could be a youngster on mins. whilst the other could be a 700K player if we unload Rossy & Levi.

Ross can say he wants to stay all he likes and he has every right to do so, but his age and stage of his career that would be stupid to do so. Unless he's happy for this to be his last decent NRL deal he should do the smart thing and move to another club if he can secure a longer deal. He won't lose out any money and will secure a longer career.

Spending the next 2 seasons in park football won't do him any favours.
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Rossy loves Newcastle & would want to be part of any success. I'm sure at some stage he'll get a crack, but Hymel will get the nod before him, so I'd say if 2019 passes by & Ross has spent the majority of it reserve grade, he'll rethink moving. But anything can happen in a year, so he's clearly backing himself to make it back.
 
Joshhh said:
Rossy loves Newcastle & would want to be part of any success. I'm sure at some stage he'll get a crack, but Hymel will get the nod before him, so I'd say if 2019 passes by & Ross has spent the majority of it reserve grade, he'll rethink moving. But anything can happen in a year, so he's clearly backing himself to make it back.
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He could always go down to the Northern beaches and compete for Manlys other very open wing spot with Taufua having an anchor on one side...
 
Sounds like Ross is happy to stay, he has a good sized contract so why look elsewhere if he is happy and family is happy we just have to stay with what we have.
 
Frank McWilliams said:
Sounds like Ross is happy to stay, he has a good sized contract so why look elsewhere if he is happy and family is happy we just have to stay with what we have.
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He's got two years to go on his deal, if he plays park football for the next two years he won't get a another deal even remotely close to the one he has again, he could get the same money and possibly another 2 years in England.

He might love living in Newcastle but in the end of the day he'll never earn this type of money again, rent the house out for 2 or 3 years and go live in England for a bit, you can always come back one day
 
Kurriboy said:
Not every decision is about money though. He may not want his kids growing up somewhat in England. I'm sure he has other reasons for staying.
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That’s true but let’s face it most things come down to money, if he’s happy to sacrifice a few extras years of being a professional footballer to stay in Newcastle then good on him and he’s entitled to that, but he’s killing his career.

Also remember he went to the press and threatened to walk last year if he didn’t get a good deal, so I’d suggest money is important to Mr Ross.
 
Jaybro said:
That’s true but let’s face it most things come down to money, if he’s happy to sacrifice a few extras years of being a professional footballer to stay in Newcastle then good on him and he’s entitled to that, but he’s killing his career.

Also remember he went to the press and threatened to walk last year if he didn’t get a good deal, so I’d suggest money is important to Mr Ross.
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Not exactly, from memory he said he would leave at the end of his contract if his contract wasn't upgraded.

Anyway, just because a player has said something at one point doesn't mean that feeling, at that time is locked in concrete. I'm sure everyone on this forum has said stuff and changed their mind later, circumstances change, priorities change etc etc.

Maybe he now thinks he came to first grade late, has not had a bad run and if he can see out his contract and head off in to the sunset with a house paid off behind him then he is ok with that.

Who knows really.
 
Where is Ross making sacrifices, loves Newcastle, family love it, getting paid good money, some might say more than he is worth, why move when you have all you want especially that no other NRL side could guarantee him a starting first grade. He is loved by many fans, think his thoughts are probably along the line of, I have reached my peak now just make the most of it and enjoy and every first grade game is a bonus.
When we were good he was reserve grader, when we were bad he was good and had cult following now we are good again and he is reserve grader but it's been a lovely ride, thanks Ross dog
 
I honestly don't think Rossy is that bad. I think he's still a super capable NRL winger. A little short in stature, but at his best an asset to any team. He had a rough year with injury & being played in a position where he isn't best suited. Browny loves a big back so unfortunately for Ross he's out of favour.
 
Its funny how alot of you write Ross off after 1 average injury plagued season. He was awesome for us 2016 & 2017.

Everyone seems to have Lee as an automatic starter over Ross. Lee wasnt in the Sharks original top 17 this year but Sione Katoa got a long term injury so Lee got a lot of game time. Lee had an average season in 2017 and only played 5 games.

Imo Lee has never had an outstanding season like Ross did in 2016 & 2017 but he will be picked because he is one of Browns boys and Ross is out of favour.

In saying all that i dont mind which player gets the nod as long as they both have to compete and the better performer gets the position.
 
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krustykraz said:
Its funny how you all write Ross off after 1 average injury plagued season. He was awesome for us 2016 & 2017.

Everyone seems to have Lee as an automatic starter over Ross. Lee wasnt in the Sharks original top 17 this year but Sione Katoa got a long term injury so Lee got a lot of game time. Lee had an average season in 2017 and only played 5 games.

Imo Lee has never had an outstanding season like Ross did in 2016 & 2017 but he will be picked because he is one of Browns boys and Ross is out of favour.

In saying all that i dont mind which player gets the nod as long as they both have to compete and the better performer gets the position.
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I don’t think we’re writing him off buddy? Well at least I know I’m not, I’m just saying it would be smarter for him to move on looking at his career.

Personally I’d like to keep him around he’s a crowd favourite and I like him, just saying what his manager would be telling him.
 
Of course he is a crowd favourite and a very good winger. Just needs to be kept 100 metres from a microphone. Mouthing off about contracts, payments etc never wins points with team management.
 
Jaybro said:
He's got two years to go on his deal, if he plays park football for the next two years he won't get a another deal even remotely close to the one he has again, he could get the same money and possibly another 2 years in England.

He might love living in Newcastle but in the end of the day he'll never earn this type of money again, rent the house out for 2 or 3 years and go live in England for a bit, you can always come back one day
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After last year no one is going to pay his current value and give him more than 2 years anyway and what will he be 32 when that deal ends?

I am sure his family is settled and he'd have stuff going on outside of footy so he'd be silly to move even if he is a NSW cup'er.
 
krustykraz said:
Its funny how alot of you write Ross off after 1 average injury plagued season. He was awesome for us 2016 & 2017.

Everyone seems to have Lee as an automatic starter over Ross. Lee wasnt in the Sharks original top 17 this year but Sione Katoa got a long term injury so Lee got a lot of game time. Lee had an average season in 2017 and only played 5 games.

Imo Lee has never had an outstanding season like Ross did in 2016 & 2017 but he will be picked because he is one of Browns boys and Ross is out of favour.

In saying all that i dont mind which player gets the nod as long as they both have to compete and the better performer gets the position.
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Going sooky sooky will get you out of favour pretty quickly at any workplace.
 
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