Recruitment And Retention Discussion

Would love to get brown but the phrase that sticks out to me the club keeps using is Dylan or a player like him. Jahrome Hughes is off contract after next season and can get offers from November. If we are throwing $1.3m a year for six plus years, he would be who I go hard for.
 
This is kinda what I think is happening too. It’s the second time they’ve reported about some mystery team and been super weird and specific about why their identity has to remain a secret. “There’s definitely a third team but don’t do any digging or try to figure out who they are or else they’ll disappear.”
The only reason I can think of that they'd want to remain secret is Brown would be replacing their half, and they don't want their half to know they're looking for a replacement. I guess it slightly makes sense.
 
This is kinda what I think is happening too. It’s the second time they’ve reported about some mystery team and been super weird and specific about why their identity has to remain a secret. “There’s definitely a third team but don’t do any digging or try to figure out who they are or else they’ll disappear.”
This smells of a gee up to maximise Brown’s financial position. People who say this think that everyone else is an idiot.
It repeatedly happens to clubs who are desperate for a high roller in a particular position, and mostly happens to clubs who are on the fringe or below.
Then when it doesn’t happen for this club, the media then jump on it with the message that the club can’t sign quality players, or that they have to pay way “overs” to land the player.
Action replay please!
 
The only reason I can think of that they'd want to remain secret is Brown would be replacing their half, and they don't want their half to know they're looking for a replacement. I guess it slightly makes sense.
It almost appears like we may be clutching at straws, that reverse psychology has got ahold of us, or other conspiracy theories are being explored.
As yet we have zero evidence that Brown will even leave Parra.
Would I love to have him at the Knights from 2026? Yes
Would I sign him to a 10 year, $13m contract?
Definitely not.
What would be our best, realistic offer?
5 years for $6m
But we are all hoping that having him here might be possible.
 
I read an article saying Browns deal at Parra goes up to $1.1m in 2026.
So I assume it would take a minimum of $1.2 for 6 years with rachets to get him.
 
I believe the structure is he has options in 2026-7 for a bit more money, then 28-9 for a bit more than that, then 30-1 for a bit more than that.

Insane thing to agree to. If he's playing **** he'll take them up, if he's been going okay-good his manager is going to do this to you every two years.

You'd much rather just land on a bigger initial number in exchange for the optionless long term commitment IMO.

HOWEVER...

I think he's great but definitely 10 years, $13 million is the point where I'm like, geez. I could take it or leave it. Hahaha.

Or rather, there's good points and bad points. It would be good to not be constantly wondering what our halves situation is gonna look like, finally, after basically not having it sorted for... how long? Since that window where it looked like we'd get a couple years of Joey and Mullen till it was snatched away. So since the Gids(Roberts)/Mullen combo I guess? And it locks in one of the best talents in he comp who's a couple years off his prime, to play with our marquee star who's now hit his prime. Getting a genuine star half who's in his mid 20's, rather than his 30's, or his early 20's, was literally the best case scenario. It's so rare for guys this good to move clubs at this age.

The bad is obviously it ****s your flexibility. If Sharpe & Arthur both really pan out, or someone else puts their hand up, we're kind of locked in to another guy already. We're even more locked in to Brown than Ponga in that case. If we've got four stud spine players, there'd be a time - with Brown on that kind of money, and obviously trying to keep KP - where we probably have to make a tough call about which one to allow to leave & replace with a sort of do-a-job player. Brown would become an auto-keeper in that case, irrespective of how well he's playing (unless he wants to leave).

I don't know. I'm not sure when a chance to get a guy like this is going to come along again. I think I'll be happy if it happens and leave the "what about when he's 33 and a bit cooked" question for... well, 2033. But if he says no and stays at Parra I won't take it as a kick in the guts. I'm too high on young misters Fletcher and Matthew for that.

Go forward with Gamblor/The Cog at 7 and keep powder dry for the next big star. Who knows, maybe Fletcher will be so good that a guy who does little more than just get the team around the park & kick well is perfectly viable at 7! A man can dream.
 
I wonder how many more weeks we will be talking about Brown signing for us. You often hear players saying I want xyz sorted before abc date but doesn’t happen. The longer it goes the less likely I think it will be. If he’s got our offer and has looked around the club and area a few weeks ago, what more does he need? Playing us off it would seem.
It seems when we’re trying to keep a player, the longer it drags on the more likely they are to leave. So hopefully the same with Brown. Parra would definitely be feeling nervous atm.
 
Can't say the Knights have a great track record of producing great halves to seriously worry about getting Brown and locking up one halves position.

We could just as easily not get Brown, and spend the next 10 years waiting for one to come along.

If Sharpe works out at 5/8 it's going to be tough to keep him here anyway what with the halves shortage in the NRL and the money that would be thrown at him.

Have to play what you see in front of you now, and thats trying to get Brown here to partner Ponga in attack.
 
Can't say the Knights have a great track record of producing great halves to seriously worry about getting Brown and locking up one halves position.

We could just as easily not get Brown, and spend the next 10 years waiting for one to come along.

If Sharpe works out at 5/8 it's going to be tough to keep him here anyway what with the halves shortage in the NRL and the money that would be thrown at him.

Have to play what you see in front of you now, and thats trying to get Brown here to partner Ponga in attack.
Sharpie also did us the favour of giving us till 2028 on what I’m imagining isn’t crazy money since it’s on the back of one very promising season where he mostly played wing. I’ve been guessing he accepted $350-400Kish, sort of a balanced number between a show of faith in his potential and him securing a decent bag on the chance he doesn’t work out as a spine player.

So in 2027 for example the under contract spine players would be, if Brown signs tomorrow:

Ponga $1.4 million
Sharpe $350Kish
Brown $1.3 million
Arthur $250Kish

Bit of guess work there.

If Sharpe and Arthur are both going really well I can see the club pushing to re-up both for a number which gets the club to around $4 million on the starting spine, which is about what Melbourne are spending. It’s a lot, but they’ve been also able to afford two $500K outside backs, a couple of $800Kish props, and one back rower who I’m pretty sure they’ve paid a decent amount to extend, so it doesn’t cripple your ability to have a few other stars. Beyond that you look at the names on their roster there are a lot of players who are, well, let’s call them hard workers. They were a bit exposed in the grand final coming up against a really dominant pack.

But hey - they made a grand final. Pretty easily. A great spine gets you in the door for consistently competing & tends to be able to get a lot more out of average players. Then if you unearth a few great middles and backs on bargain bin contracts… you’re a great chance of winning one.
 
Sharpie also did us the favour of giving us till 2028 on what I’m imagining isn’t crazy money since it’s on the back of one very promising season where he mostly played wing. I’ve been guessing he accepted $350-400Kish, sort of a balanced number between a show of faith in his potential and him securing a decent bag on the chance he doesn’t work out as a spine player.

So in 2027 for example the under contract spine players would be, if Brown signs tomorrow:

Ponga $1.4 million
Sharpe $350Kish
Brown $1.3 million
Arthur $250Kish

Bit of guess work there.

If Sharpe and Arthur are both going really well I can see the club pushing to re-up both for a number which gets the club to around $4 million on the starting spine, which is about what Melbourne are spending. It’s a lot, but they’ve been also able to afford two $500K outside backs, a couple of $800Kish props, and one back rower who I’m pretty sure they’ve paid a decent amount to extend, so it doesn’t cripple your ability to have a few other stars. Beyond that you look at the names on their roster there are a lot of players who are, well, let’s call them hard workers. They were a bit exposed in the grand final coming up against a really dominant pack.

But hey - they made a grand final. Pretty easily. A great spine gets you in the door for consistently competing & tends to be able to get a lot more out of average players. Then if you unearth a few great middles and backs on bargain bin contracts… you’re a great chance of winning one.
I guess that’s the point….if we can become a serial top 4 team those non-spine players will probably (hopefully) take under to play in a successful team.
 
Would love to get brown but the phrase that sticks out to me the club keeps using is Dylan or a player like him. Jahrome Hughes is off contract after next season and can get offers from November. If we are throwing $1.3m a year for six plus years, he would be who I go hard for.
💯
 
Sharpie also did us the favour of giving us till 2028 on what I’m imagining isn’t crazy money since it’s on the back of one very promising season where he mostly played wing. I’ve been guessing he accepted $350-400Kish, sort of a balanced number between a show of faith in his potential and him securing a decent bag on the chance he doesn’t work out as a spine player.

So in 2027 for example the under contract spine players would be, if Brown signs tomorrow:

Ponga $1.4 million
Sharpe $350Kish
Brown $1.3 million
Arthur $250Kish

Bit of guess work there.

If Sharpe and Arthur are both going really well I can see the club pushing to re-up both for a number which gets the club to around $4 million on the starting spine, which is about what Melbourne are spending. It’s a lot, but they’ve been also able to afford two $500K outside backs, a couple of $800Kish props, and one back rower who I’m pretty sure they’ve paid a decent amount to extend, so it doesn’t cripple your ability to have a few other stars. Beyond that you look at the names on their roster there are a lot of players who are, well, let’s call them hard workers. They were a bit exposed in the grand final coming up against a really dominant pack.

But hey - they made a grand final. Pretty easily. A great spine gets you in the door for consistently competing & tends to be able to get a lot more out of average players. Then if you unearth a few great middles and backs on bargain bin contracts… you’re a great chance of winning one.
This is the best case I've heard for the pathway to a premiership. This fits our current circumstances really well
 
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