The pre-season 2026 thread

Billy

Billy

Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Going off early on this because we suddenly have lots to talk about.
We will have a new head coach, but depending on the coach, we might have new staff from top to bottom.
This makes it very important that someone like Parr or Bedsy gets started on working on a plan for the pre-season.
On the plus side, we have the centre of excellence up and running now, so all the facilities for all the training are locked in already. Last year we didn't go away for a camp, because we have everything we could possibly need in the one spot.
The squad next year will be very young, but we will also have many, many players with amazing potential to improve - Manuleleua, ESL, Hunt, Hopwood, Sullivan, Arthur x 2, Latu, Votano, Crouch.
In my opinion, the new coach and whatever staff are remaining or coming in for next year, need to get a plan together very early.
One good thing is that the CoE has been open to the players to use for self initiated training all off season for the last few years.
Only a handful of new guys coming in so far - Brown, Saulo, Hola and any we buy with "Ponga dollars", and they are all experienced guys who shouldn't need a lot of coaching, so it should all be about getting guys like Hunt, McEwen, Sharpe, Cant and Arthur to a new level.
The new coach needs to get started on this ASAP.
 
This is why I believe if AOB is done, then fire him now, get an interim in for the time being and sort out who the next coach is, start getting the assistants sorted, and get planning for next season.

Keeping AOB for the rest of the season, after he knows he is gone, his care factor will drop to zero for development etc.

But, I'd like the new coach to start at seasons end. Work in the background planning, but let the interim officially run things until the season is done. That way new coach avoids the scrutiny from the rest of this already tanked season with KP/Sharpe out for rest of season.

New coach takes over pre-season officially, with his assistants and the new squad. Start fresh with no baggage.
 
Kurriboy said:
This is why I believe if AOB is done, then fire him now, get an interim in for the time being and sort out who the next coach is, start getting the assistants sorted, and get planning for next season.

Keeping AOB for the rest of the season, after he knows he is gone, his care factor will drop to zero for development etc.

But, I'd like the new coach to start at seasons end. Work in the background planning, but let the interim officially run things until the season is done. That way new coach avoids the scrutiny from the rest of this already tanked season with KP/Sharpe out for rest of season.

New coach takes over pre-season officially, with his assistants and the new squad. Start fresh with no baggage.
Click to expand...

100% if reports are true there is no upside to keeping him here, green takes the reins and tell him you got 2 months to show us what you got, it will also cost the club no more money than what its going to cost to wait.
 
EASBay17 said:
100% if reports are true there is no upside to keeping him here, green takes the reins and tell him you got 2 months to show us what you got, it will also cost the club no more money than what its going to cost to wait.
Click to expand...
This just seems so unplanned, if the two months don’t go well then we’re two months further behind in the recruitment process for a replacement. I’m happy for AOB to go now and Green to take over as caretaker, but the new coach process has to be totally seperate to that, imo.
 
It will cost the club extra, i don't thing Green will take over as interim head coach for the same money he is working as an assistant.

There would need to be a pay bump there.
 
Bedsy as caretaker coach for the rest of the season. He's done it before - just doesn't want to work 60 hours a week longterm.
 
jamesgould said:
This just seems so unplanned, if the two months don’t go well then we’re two months further behind in the recruitment process for a replacement. I’m happy for AOB to go now and Green to take over as caretaker, but the new coach process has to be totally seperate to that, imo.
Click to expand...

This process assuming its only just starting shouldnt be a quick process really, im saying let green showcase himself whilst the process takes place.
I think im actually really against green, no lower grade experience, already apart of the mess we are in and managed by moses, he also gives me one of the boys vibes.
Is he really regarded that highly inside the knights or is it an example of moses making sure his on the merry go round thats about to unfold?
 
I could be wrong, but I thought when we signed Brown, Parr or someone came out and said it’s from next year as we don’t have salary cap space to take Brown this year
 
He could have just driven up the M1 for the rest of the season, which is really only about 7 weeks. Or he could have roomed with a team mate for some of that time etc.

I'd say we didn't have the cap space, and maybe Dyl just wanted to finish his time at Parra and not be one of those players leaving clubs early.

He had already made it clear he was only signing here due to the Knights huge offer he could not pass up. Probably really enjoys the Parra club and wanted to finish there, start fresh pre season here etc. Parra has been his only club hasn't it? Big difference when it's your only club, changing mid season, vs starting fresh with the squad in pre season.

I don't think he is put off by playing for the Knights.

More click bait.
 
Parra: “We’re going to chose someone else to start as we want to prepare for the future after you leave. You can go early, if you’d like to.”

Dylan Brown: “Totally understandable. I’ll stay and dig my heels in and do what’s best for the club.”

Newcastle: “That’s okay. The deal starts in 2026 and we won’t have the cap space to provide a spot for you for the remainder of the year anyway.”

Media: “DYLAN BROWN SNUBS KNIGHTS IN WHAT IS THE BIGGEST SLAP IN THE FACE RUGBY LEAGUE HAS EVER SEEN IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD!!! 🔥🔥🔥”
 
mullenmagic said:
Telegraph reporting Dylan Brown will be selected for NZ in the Pacific Championship so will have a shortened preseason here
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Ultimately I think there’s more value in him being in that environment than doing fitness stuff with reserve graders so that’s fine.

I would hope the club has the sense to schedule some sort of meeting with him before he goes, chat about what they want him to work on in his downtime.
 
For the last few years I've been pretty good at predicting who will do a firstgrade pre-season from the younger guys.

I have no idea this year.

I think POS will want great athletes like Toby Winter, maybe Aiden Gow, Logan Aoake, i'd have said Wilson De Courcey but he doesn't seem to be getting much love, Matt McEwen is one I'd pick - he seems to be as dedicated to footy as his brother and will thrive with the extra training if genes have anything to do with it.
Roy Simpson would be a left field selection - he'll be 17/18, which is the age Jermaine McEwen got his first pre-season, and he looks like a red headed clone of his father.
 
De Courcey is top 30 so he’ll be there regardless.

Logan Aoake will be there if he’s still under-contract.
Siteni Taukamo another one, just returned this week after getting injured 20 minutes into round 1.
Sosaia Latu doesn’t join the development list until 2027 but will probably get some experience with the NRL squad this preseason.
Toby Winter probably.
Kingston Seve won’t turn 17 until December but is clearly highly regarded for the future and has already had a taste of training with first grade.
Marcus D'Acre will be there on a train and trial deal.

Forward bolters are harder to predict. There's none that really standout as obvious choices other than the ones already in the top 30 like Hopwood.
Bailey Carmichael did some preseason with the NRL squad last year so maybe him. Definitely big enough.
Jacob Taulani has probably been the best forward consistently in Flegg this year. O’Sullivan signing. Wouldn’t be surprised if he’s there.
Kane Graham is captaining Flegg so maybe him.
 
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