2027 pre-season thread

[Billy]

I usually have a go at predicting which young players will get a firstgrade pre-season and it's usually pretty easy to pick most, but this year will be very hard I think.

The obvious ones
Toby Winter
Deisal Hagan
Kyle McCarthy
ESL
Mathew Hunter

Less Obvious
Mel Nonu
Curtis Mulherin
Chase Butler
Kade McKay
Jack Hilliar
William Bates
Jaylan Bishop
Riley Wells
William Manning

Long shots
Jett McKay
Kahn McKay
Aiden Gow
Logan Aoake
Riley Rostron
Tom Perkins
Sosia Latu

As I said - most years I can pick 90% - but this year half the ones I picked might miss out - and another 10 might make the list - or POS might bring in some we have never heard of.

 

[Thieves Like Us]

Wow! That’s a crazy list for the future!

Not heard much about Gow this season. Did he get injured? Sounded like a try scoring machine in previous years.

 

[Billy]

Wow! That’s a crazy list for the future!

Not heard much about Gow this season. Did he get injured? Sounded like a try scoring machine in previous years.

He got injured early in the season - shoulder I think.

 

[mullenmagic]

Scored 20 in 9 games of SG Ball last year and has played about 4 or 5 games since, mostly months apart. Body might not be up to it.

 

[krustykraz]

Without knowing much about him, would Baxter Best get a pre-season?

 

[Billy]

Without knowing much about him, would Baxter Best get a pre-season?

If he's recovered from his injury (a shoulder reconstruction I think) he probably will. I think he's 17 or 18.

 

[Thieves Like Us]

Scored 20 in 9 games of SG Ball last year and has played about 4 or 5 games since, mostly months apart. Body might not be up to it.

Let’s give him a chance before we write him off.

 

[Billy]

So Jacob Saifiti should be fit and available for day 1 of pre-season not that he has accepted the 4 game ban.

I imagine Manu will be overlooked for Samoa due to injury, but will be fine for pre-season

Best is a chance to be picked for Aus

Dom will play WC for sure.

Marz is a chance for Samoa.

Ponga will play for NZ

Hunt will be fit for day 1 of pre-season

Sharpe is long odds to be picked for Aus

Brown and Lucas might miss the entire pre season

McEwen is a chance for Samoa

Frizz will possibly get a late start - just because he doesn't need to do the early fitness stuff

Cant always trains year round - so he'll be there

Hopwood and Crouch will rip in from day 1

 

[Mclovin]

Well good thing Brown is here for 10 years, 2 years in and he wont have done a pre season with Ponga yet so maybe the next one

 

[Billy]

Article in the league section of the Herald today about Lucas and his injury.
Says he is "spewing" about not being able to play finals, but also says he is "back in shoes" and getting about and should start running soon. It sounds like he'll be back for pre-season.

'I'm spewing': Inside Knights forward's horrific injury, finals heartbreak

'I didn't realise how bad it was at first, I sort of just thought I'd rolled my ankle...'

www.newcastleherald.com.au

 

[Grandpa Joe]

Niakura named in cup for the wahs. I know Pete doesn’t get many wrong but this maybe one of them.

 

[Tackleslikeagirl]

Niakura named in cup for the wahs. I know Pete doesn’t get many wrong but this maybe one of them.

They have excellent depth and he is leaving. Makes sense he is not being picked tbh.

 

[Grandpa Joe]

Made little sense when he was going bog average and coming off the bench for small stints when we signed him tbh.

Just hope his a bargain basement signing.

 

[Sarge]

Made little sense when he was going bog average and coming off the bench for small stints when we signed him tbh.

Just hope his a bargain basement signing.

I hear it's not bargain basement .

 

[frankLauda]

From memory I heard POS had a few targets that didn’t pan out. He got Nikora across the line. Then Barney requested an early release. And would have taken unders to play at Newcastle. Anyway we could have used Nikora now. Any chance of early release? lol

I’m hopeful Saulo and Jones can do a job. A lot of pressure on Hopwood and Crouch now. Both thrown into the deep end.

 

[Billy]

Nuikore played in the reserve grade game against us last week.
He had a few strong carries and is a big guy.
Brodie Jones didn't have the same impact in runs, but did a lot more and a lot more in defence I thought.
Nuikore played second row though.

Jones - lock - 10 runs for 102 metres - 42 tackles, 2 missed - 60 fantasy points - 28 years old

Nuikore - second row - 6 runs for 67 metre - 27 tackles 1 missed - 32 fantasy points - 30 years old

 

[Grandpa Joe]

I hear it's not bargain basement .

Even the elite make recruitment mistakes I guess. Might be a father figure signing to keep the islander boys happy.

 

[Frank McWilliams]

Nuikore played in the reserve grade game against us last week.
He had a few strong carries and is a big guy.
Brodie Jones didn't have the same impact in runs, but did a lot more and a lot more in defence I thought.
Nuikore played second row though.

Jones - lock - 10 runs for 102 metres - 42 tackles, 2 missed - 60 fantasy points - 28 years old

Nuikore - second row - 6 runs for 67 metre - 27 tackles 1 missed - 32 fantasy points - 30 years old

Makes you wonder a bit Jones local and two years younger.
Niukore Nz and older, hope he justifies his selection, be interesting to know the $ comparison

 

[slotmachine]

You'd have to be hoping that Niukore is phoning it in at the moment because his Cup numbers are awful. But then what does that say about him as a player. culture etc.

 

[frankLauda]

This sounds a bit similar to the Dogs signing Leo Thompson on overs. Yeah it’s a bit of a worry. We won’t truely know until he is here and playing FG for us.