Toohey's News

I get Sandon being higher, I understand people are heavily influenced by emotion and that if you criticise one player it means to same that you are crapping on them, but people are acting like Sandon has done nothing, and with Crossland being a junior Sandon doesn’t stand a chance in winning any battle against him by fans.

Yes he is bad in defence and makes a error here and there but let’s not act like he is crap, without him we certainly wouldn’t be where we are.

I would put Smith above Crossland right now as a new guy to the team, expected to be a utility than is needed immediately without the stars and hits the ground running keeping us going he has 8 try assists that’s great return from a guy that was expected to be a bench utility, he has done exactly what his job is meant for by definition

Watching against the Titans I loved his cool head, toke the line on a few times including the one that got Sharpe his try, knew when to roll it in the goal to keep pressure on.

Sometimes I wonder how quick people are to forget without Smith bloody Gamble would be the guy to come in during those moments and I wonder if he would have the same impact and I wonder how many would be crying out for Smith…

I love Crossland and hope he never leaves but personally I would have Smith ahead of Crossland but it’s weird to even be having this discussion since they have different roles, Crossland is a much better hooker, Lock while Smith is a miles better 7,6
 
KPGreatness said:
I get Sandon being higher, I understand people are heavily influenced by emotion and that if you criticise one player it means to same that you are crapping on them, but people are acting like Sandon has done nothing, and with Crossland being a junior Sandon doesn’t stand a chance in winning any battle against him by fans.

Yes he is bad in defence and makes a error here and there but let’s not act like he is crap, without him we certainly wouldn’t be where we are.

I would put Smith above Crossland right now as a new guy to the team, expected to be a utility than is needed immediately without the stars and hits the ground running keeping us going he has 8 try assists that’s great return from a guy that was expected to be a bench utility, he has done exactly what his job is meant for by definition

Watching against the Titans I loved his cool head, toke the line on a few times including the one that got Sharpe his try, knew when to roll it in the goal to keep pressure on.

Sometimes I wonder how quick people are to forget without Smith bloody Gamble would be the guy to come in during those moments and I wonder if he would have the same impact and I wonder how many would be crying out for Smith…

I love Crossland and hope he never leaves but personally I would have Smith ahead of Crossland but it’s weird to even be having this discussion since they have different roles, Crossland is a much better hooker, Lock while Smith is a miles better 7,6
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I think most fans appreciate what Smith has brought to the table, he has helped keep us afloat when the stars went down. It was probably more at the start of the season, where ppl were torn over starting Sharpe or Smith in the halves.
 
1- J Saf
2 - Croker
3 - Marzhew
4 - Ponga
5 - Dom
That’s my top 5. Brown, Smith, Best, Gags and Mooney probably the next 5 in any order.
 
Sandon and Brown are a great halves combo. Sharpey can play anywhere from one to 7. I personally believe his rep career will be him being revered as the greatest utility we have ever seen when it is over. He is absolutely brilliant and his Origin debut is either this year or next. Imagine being 25 mins into an origin as a Queenland defender, being absolutely gone physically, and Fletcher Sharpe comes on!
 
27/5

Dom Young’s agent hopes the Knights don’t make the same mistakes they made last time he was off-contract. Says Dom wants to stay, but that he wanted to stay last time before being “low-balled” and there’ll be other options if the Knights don’t get it done. There’s been positive initial talks and they’re expecting a formal offer in the next fortnight.

Toohey talks about the risk of backing up after Origin and says he wouldn't risk it.

Brodie Jones might look into golf as a profession after footy with him being off-contract. Toohey had previously said he won’t be offered a new deal here.

Toohey says Matt Arthur should probably look for other options for next year despite being under contract with Harrison Graham already leapfrogging him and Diesel Hagan coming through.

2 of the potential Dane Gagai replacements for next year will be playing before first grade on the weekend. 17-year old Kingston Seve in Jersey Flegg, and 18-year old Toby Winter in NSW Cup.
 
mullenmagic said:
27/5

Dom Young’s agent hopes the Knights don’t make the same mistakes they made last time he was off-contract. Says Dom wants to stay, but that he wanted to stay last time before being “low-balled” and there’ll be other options if the Knights don’t get it done. There’s been positive initial talks and they’re expecting a formal offer in the next fortnight.
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I thought the narrative was Dom wanted to wait until after world cup and wouldn’t entertain offers until then. Maybe wrong but I thought our offer ended up in the same ballpark eventually but he still wanted to go and the deal was with the Roosters was sweetened with a contract for his brother?
 
Tackleslikeagirl said:
I thought the narrative was Dom wanted to wait until after world cup and wouldn’t entertain offers until then. Maybe wrong but I thought our offer ended up in the same ballpark eventually but he still wanted to go and the deal was with the Roosters was sweetened with a contract for his brother?
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Thats how i remember it going. It the dude is worth a premium winger contract, though can we afford that?
 
It's possible the Knights low-balled him in the first place which is why he chose to wait until after the World Cup, and at that point felt more wanted by other clubs. Similar to the Leo situation. He says in the article he thinks the Knights were banking on getting a discount for taking the chance on him and developing him.

Could just be a manager putting pressure on the club as part of negotiations as well, though. His job isn't necessarily to tell the truth.
 
Only the manager was quoted - not Dom - and even the manager said Dom is very keen to stay.
He basically said Dom would take a decent offer and only think about leaving if we "low-balled" him.
Manager has to at least try to negotiate a better deal.

Cincotta admitted Young wants to stay in Newcastle but warned that was also the case when he previously quit the club to sign with the Sydney Roosters for 2024.
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3/6

Dylan Lucas says he wants to stay but is leaving those discussion up to his manager for now. Doesn’t seem like we’re any closer to getting a deal done.

Bradman Best has been offered an extension but yet to agree to terms. Jacob Saifiti and Dom Young will receive offers in the next few weeks.

The medical retirement of Wil Sullivan has opened the door for Tyson Frizell to possibly get another year after that door previously seemed closed. Will come down to money.

Sandon Smith had calf tightness at training before succumbing to it during the game. Toohey says it comes at a bad time with him being a starter while Bradman is out, and when he returns he’ll be competing with Harrison Graham for the bench hooker role which is a competition Graham is winning so far.

Toohey says it’s a matter of when Toby Winter debuts, not if.

Jersey Flegg winger Sosaia Latu has been told he's free to leave despite being signed until the end of 2028. He signed a 4-year deal just before O’Sullivan came on board so not shocking that he favours other options. Harold Matts outside back Benji Thompson has signed a new multi-year deal despite interest from rivals.
 
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mullenmagic said:
3/6

Dylan Lucas says he wants to stay but is leaving those discussion up to his manager for now. Doesn’t seem like we’re any closer to getting a deal done.

Bradman Best has been offered an extension but yet to agree to terms. Jacob Saifiti and Dom Young will receive offers in the next few weeks.

The medical retirement of Will Sullivan has opened the door for Tyson Frizell to possibly get another year after that door previously seemed closed. Will come down to money.

Sandon Smith had calf rightness at training before succumbing to it during the game. Toohey says it comes at a bad time with him being a starter while Bradman is out, and when he returns he’ll be competing with Harrison Graham for the bench hooker role which is a competition Graham is winning so far.

Toohey says it’s a matter of when Toby Winter debuts, not if.

Jersey Flegg winger Sosaia Latu has been told he's free to leave despite being signed until the end of 2028. He signed a 4-year deal just before O’Sullivan came on board so not shocking that he favours other options. Harold Matts outside back Benji Thompson has signed a new multi-year deal despite interest from rivals.
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Sully better have plenty of outside backs rated or signed up if he is trying to let go Latu, DeCourcey, Votano , Schiller , McArthy

Leaves really only Dom,Marz, braddy and hunt,winter and seve then and last 2 obviously big rookies still

Good about Friz though, would be worth 1 more year
 
Makes sense he is trying to get rid of deadwood, De Coursey is a winger that wants to play centre so gone, Votano I think still has time to get better since he is young but he hasn’t been great so gone, McCarthy will never be a week to week first grader, Latu had a lot of hype that seemed to die down despite playing great in his last game.

We do have Winter, Seve, Hunt, Sharpe, Aoake, Gow, D’Arce Coming up in the short term and other players like Elemsy (butchered his name I think), Nonu and the like under them

I hope we do re-sign Frizell as him and Nuikore gives us a lot of options in the bench but I agree with the club it will depend on money considering his advanced age in the game.
 
Billy said:
He hasn't improved much this year. He didn't thrive in reserve grade.
I'd give him another year - but I'd give everyone mentioned above another year if we could.
We'd have killed to have prospects like Votano, Latu, DeCourcy etc at anytime in the last 20 years.
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Yes we would have, but the question remains why they have not broken through as of yet. And more importantly they look fragile when they do. The talent coming through is of equal or superior ability in the eyes of O’Sullivan. We are in arguably our greatest junior era since the mid 90s. You cannot keep them all and that extra year you mention is where top line players are signed or missed out on. I’m certain if Sully is moving them on he has someone else lined up.
After everyone criticised his move for Brown, with the talk now shifting to him being in the top 5 for the Dally M or greater, I would not be prone to questioning him anymore,
 
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