Recruitment And Retention Discussion

Worth re-capping the Knights career of Wilson De Courcey.
He came to us in 2024 as an Australian schoolboy rep from Penrith.
I think I remember him having a firstgrade preseason in 2024.
He had a good, but not spectacular, season in SG Ball in 2024, and was then in and out of Flegg. I think he had time out with injuries towards the end of the season. He mostly played centre.
He had a firstgrade pre-season in 2025 and started in Flegg as a centre. He was in and out of reserve grade early in the season.
He went back to Flegg mid-season and found great form on the wing, scoring a lot of tries.
For the last half of the season he was playing wing in reserve grade. In his last 11 games he scored 16 tries and scored in 9 of 11 games in a team that wasn't going very well. His tries were scored in all sorts of ways - length of the field runs, barging trough defenders on the line, leaping to take high balls etc etc.
He finished the season with 19 tries in 18 games, but 16 of them came in his last 11.
He is 184cm and 100kg - which is about the same size and build as Bradman Best - and I'd say another pre-season might make him a good shadow player for Bradman or he could be even better as a winger.
 
Billy said:
Worth re-capping the Knights career of Wilson De Courcey.
He came to us in 2024 as an Australian schoolboy rep from Penrith.
I think I remember him having a firstgrade preseason in 2024.
He had a good, but not spectacular, season in SG Ball in 2024, and was then in and out of Flegg. I think he had time out with injuries towards the end of the season. He mostly played centre.
He had a firstgrade pre-season in 2025 and started in Flegg as a centre. He was in and out of reserve grade early in the season.
He went back to Flegg mid-season and found great form on the wing, scoring a lot of tries.
For the last half of the season he was playing wing in reserve grade. In his last 11 games he scored 16 tries and scored in 9 of 11 games in a team that wasn't going very well. His tries were scored in all sorts of ways - length of the field runs, barging trough defenders on the line, leaping to take high balls etc etc.
He finished the season with 19 tries in 18 games, but 16 of them came in his last 11.
He is 184cm and 100kg - which is about the same size and build as Bradman Best - and I'd say another pre-season might make him a good shadow player for Bradman or he could be even better as a winger.
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Thank you Billy.
 
Perkins played in the recent NZ schoolboys vs Australia u18s rugby union series. A particularly strong Australian contingent belted their NZ opponents in both games, Perkins came off the bench for NZ in the first match and started at openside flanker (No. 7) in the second.
 
I really think our halves options are still awfully light, obviously 6 & 7 will be Brown, Sharpe or Smith with one acting as a bench utility and Gamble as a backup, would love to see Junior Amone thrown a train and trial to give us more depth. Definitely won't hurt us, be good to have a potentially quality depth, do really like seeing the club thrown train and trials at blokes that are gambles with previous nrl experience.
 
MullosLefttoRight said:
R360 is quite a peculiar thing - I'm extremely sceptical of its legitimacy.

Australian media is consistently reporting it as being Saudi-backed, ie by the Public Investment Fund that funds LIV Golf. That's actually not true - it was something speculated in early reporting but has never been substantiated. As more information has come to light, it has become clear the comp is funded by entirely by private investors, most of whom are from the US and UK, with some private investment coming from the middle-east - now mostly attributed to the UAE. Ie there might be no Saudis involved whatsoever, and there has been zero evidence to suggest any sovereign wealth is involved.

Existing media on the topic is also disproportionately coming from Australian sources, which is bizarre - considering all the major Rugby Union nations in the World appear less concerned about reporting on this "revolutionary" competition than Australian media, who traditionally aren't overly concerned with RU at all. Nothing like inflating an unsubstantiated boogeyman threat just as Broadcast negotiations are about to commence. I'm sure it's all a coincidence though.

Will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
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Same guy/family who runs all the broadcasting for the NRL and all the competing media forms who make squillions on the NRL is the difference, (I believe)
 
Billy said:
Worth re-capping the Knights career of Wilson De Courcey.
He came to us in 2024 as an Australian schoolboy rep from Penrith.
I think I remember him having a firstgrade preseason in 2024.
He had a good, but not spectacular, season in SG Ball in 2024, and was then in and out of Flegg. I think he had time out with injuries towards the end of the season. He mostly played centre.
He had a firstgrade pre-season in 2025 and started in Flegg as a centre. He was in and out of reserve grade early in the season.
He went back to Flegg mid-season and found great form on the wing, scoring a lot of tries.
For the last half of the season he was playing wing in reserve grade. In his last 11 games he scored 16 tries and scored in 9 of 11 games in a team that wasn't going very well. His tries were scored in all sorts of ways - length of the field runs, barging trough defenders on the line, leaping to take high balls etc etc.
He finished the season with 19 tries in 18 games, but 16 of them came in his last 11.
He is 184cm and 100kg - which is about the same size and build as Bradman Best - and I'd say another pre-season might make him a good shadow player for Bradman or he could be even better as a winger.
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Id say straight in for gagai when he retires. Does he play the same side?
 
Brad tighe said:
He might end up on the wing he killed it there last season.
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Big year for our backline

With no massive purchases and Gags retiring they can either take the next step to replace him (which I prefer the club to do) or club will look to recruit an experienced player.

Marzhew has much to prove to Holbrick defensively and under the high ball, he's off contract and probably on some decent coin we'd use for a forward.

Young is safe for now but also needs to improve on his defence and get back to the 2023 Dom Young.

Sharpe if moved back to the wing is a shoe-in for winger of the year :P but in all honesty, he's waiting for KP's eventual move, speed and strength, have mercy on me we kept a very good junior. Origin/Rep in the making.

Best - FEED HIM, FEEEEEEED THE BEAST!!!!

Schiller is strong on the wing but had some massive confidence issues as we're aware, would also be on a decent $$ I feel, but runs wise came up with some important ones earlier in season through the guts.

Fletch Hunt - Breakout year, with his execution in the air a stand out, Needs to pick up on speed and physicality to make it the full package, he's not going to get us much milage from runs out of our area, but he'll keep trying. Good option for centre or wing.

Kyle McCarthy, solid player who is on his last leg here I feel, had every chance to prove himself in Cup this season but swung and missed. I like him but we have some better talent coming through and signed longer term. Has every chance to be a solid FG'er but lacks explosiveness and X factor. Could move into backrow

Connor Votano also on his last leg here I think, kind of same boat as Hunt, great in the air, great instincts, doesn't have explosive speed and would need to build up his physicality. Can see him making it as a regular FG on wing or center, but feel like it wont happen here, with potential talent coming through.

Logan Aoake is back for pre season training i've been told and I'm really excited for his potential, has strong speed and stronger in carries than he looks, great footy instincts too. I hope we hold onto himm past next year, one of those ones who will be strong depth over potentially losing, Marz, Votano, McCarthy. Can play centre with great assist ability and good on wing too.

Taj Annan is coming back next year, they need to pick and stick with him, winger/centre or edge forward. Feel for him being shoved around so much. He's solid but be surprised if he stays past next year.

Wilson De Courcey had a huge break out year this season, jumping from SG up to Flegg. strong carries and build well, he will keep growing into that body too, attack the game at every chance he gets and scored some great tries by backing himself for chip and chases and taking on player one vs one. Huge Preseason ahead of him to be next picked or maybe jump a few to be picked round 1. Playing outside Best or gags would be great for his future. Signed for just 26, so Knight's will need to be weary on locking him down early if he goes well. defensively was the only issue I noticed the season before where he played centre, made some poor choices but may have fixed that.

Sosaia Latu Signed long term to 2028, tall athletic, great speed, jumped up to Cup with De Courcey, feel like the plan for him is to keep growing into that body and speed and look for FG chances in 27/28. He has the physique of a young Crighton or current McClean. Like De Courcey, regularly back himself and works very hard out of yardage. Very keen to see his continued progression.

Siteni Taukamo - Came from Sharks last year and looked quite good in opening 10 rounds, then had a horrendous hip drop tackle that wiped him out until the final couple rounds. Has genuine ability as a centre/wing, need to see more of him. Fairly certain he's back this year.

Aiden Gow - Blew them away in SG this year, his sheer speed is unmatched by most players and that's what he relied on in opening games, then it became noticeable his yardage was impressive, high ball strong and defensively for his first year of League (from Union) was getting better as he went. Give him a chance and he'll score. Keen to see him in Flegg next year - Recently signed a new contract with club and looks to potentially be doing Pre season which is really good news. Honestly if he goes well, could break into squad by years end, definitely year after.
 
Anyone got the goss on Hastings? He seems to be trying to prove he is worthy, by fighting for a spot. In the past he seemed like a lad that would look elsewhere.
 
Tobe Fair said:
Anyone got the goss on Hastings? He seems to be trying to prove he is worthy, by fighting for a spot. In the past he seemed like a lad that would look elsewhere.
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I’ve heard on the great vine that he may go to parramatta on a cup contract which would make a lot of sense seeing they just got rid of Hawkins.
 
Trying to work out our depth chart for next season but getting stuck at a few points and feel like I'm missing something obvious - current NSW Cup 17 IMO:

1. Connor Votano/Fletcher Hunt
2. Greg Marzhew
3. James Schiller
4. Kyle McCarthy/Fletcher Hunt
5. Wilson De Courcey
6. Tyson Gamble
7. Matthew Hunter
8. Brodie Jones
9. Harrison Graham/Mat Arthur (One to start at 14 in first-grade)
10. Lachlan Crouch
11. Francis Manuleleua
12. ???????
13. Tom Cant
14. ?????
15. Peter Hola
16. Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
17. Wil Sullivan

Lots of personal preference - for context my current first-grade bench is:
14. Harrison Graham/Mat Arthur
15. Pasami Saulo
16. Cody Hopwood (Pure optimism - swap whoever you want in here and I likely won't argue)
17. Jermaine McEwen (Friz starts on an edge before moving to the middle)

Main points I would welcome suggestions on for the Cup side:
1) #12 - Easy answer is to move ESL back to the edge, I prefer him in the middle but that leaves us with 3(?) edges in the top 30.
2) #14 - Am I up-to-date in saying that Davis is gone? What about Hoad? Other bolters?
3) Fletcher Hunt - If Sharpe starts in the halves this isn't an issue, but otherwise I'm not sure where he best fits. I currently believe Wing is his position but Marzhew is well ahead and I can't move De Courcey after this cup season. I don't see Hunt as a fullback but I'm also not convinced Votano's prospects are that high. I rate McCarthy higher as a centre despite him being out of favour last season, which could easily change with new coaches - I could definitely see McCarthy working as an edge backrower but I'm not sure whether they'd shift him.
 
MullosLefttoRight said:
Trying to work out our depth chart for next season but getting stuck at a few points and feel like I'm missing something obvious - current NSW Cup 17 IMO:

1. Connor Votano/Fletcher Hunt
2. Greg Marzhew
3. James Schiller
4. Kyle McCarthy/Fletcher Hunt
5. Wilson De Courcey
6. Tyson Gamble
7. Matthew Hunter
8. Brodie Jones
9. Harrison Graham/Mat Arthur (One to start at 14 in first-grade)
10. Lachlan Crouch
11. Francis Manuleleua
12. ???????
13. Tom Cant
14. ?????
15. Peter Hola
16. Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
17. Wil Sullivan

Lots of personal preference - for context my current first-grade bench is:
14. Harrison Graham/Mat Arthur
15. Pasami Saulo
16. Cody Hopwood (Pure optimism - swap whoever you want in here and I likely won't argue)
17. Jermaine McEwen (Friz starts on an edge before moving to the middle)

Main points I would welcome suggestions on for the Cup side:
1) #12 - Easy answer is to move ESL back to the edge, I prefer him in the middle but that leaves us with 3(?) edges in the top 30.
2) #14 - Am I up-to-date in saying that Davis is gone? What about Hoad? Other bolters?
3) Fletcher Hunt - If Sharpe starts in the halves this isn't an issue, but otherwise I'm not sure where he best fits. I currently believe Wing is his position but Marzhew is well ahead and I can't move De Courcey after this cup season. I don't see Hunt as a fullback but I'm also not convinced Votano's prospects are that high. I rate McCarthy higher as a centre despite him being out of favour last season, which could easily change with new coaches - I could definitely see McCarthy working as an edge backrower but I'm not sure whether they'd shift him.
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The hoad boys will be in cup
 
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