2017/2018 Knights Player signing speculation

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Newcastle Knights confident of securing star centre Dane Gagai to new long-term deal


Barry Toohey, The Daily Telegraph
April 22, 2017 11:22am


THEY have struck out in their pursuit of some of the game’s big names but the Newcastle Knights remain confident of heading off growing interest from rival clubs by securing their star centre Dane Gagai on a long term deal.

It’s understood St George Illawarra, Sydney Roosters and Cronulla head a list of NRL rivals circling the Queensland Origin star, who comes off contract at the end of the season but has a clause in his favour for further season in Newcastle.

While Knights coach Nathan Brown says there is no room for complacency in the current market, he remains hopeful Gagai will commit long term with his extended family now settled in Newcastle.

Gagai has already knocked back an offer from the coach late last year to leave the Knights this season and move to a stronger club if he felt it would enhance his career.

“I didn’t want him staying here if he felt he would be better off elsewhere so I gave him the option to leave if he wanted to,” Brown said at the time.

“But to his credit, Gags was fully committed to sticking around to help with the rebuild of the club which was a real vote of confidence.”

Whether that same confidence still exists with the Knights starting the season with just one win from the opening seven rounds remains to be seen.

Gagai’s manager Steve Gillis, who has met with Knights officials on a couple of occasions to discuss the centre’s future, said there is no rush to complete a new deal but confirmed a number of clubs had expressed interest if he was considering leaving the Knights.

“It is a very big decision for him going forward, ”Gillis said.

“He has to weigh up a host of things but there is no need to rush and time is on his side.

“What I would say is he is very passionate about the club.

“But he is the best centre on the market who can play fullback at a pinch and is probably in career best form so it is no surprise he is hot property.”

One of the major considerations will be whether Gagai believes remaining at the Knights will prove detrimental to his representative career although he featured in all three Origin games last season despite the Knights dismal performances.

As a possible safeguard to losing Gagai, the Knights have met with Sydney Roosters’ Kiwi international Shaun Kenny-Dowall.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...l/news-story/0a7295b136b3edd0cf763ddadac6d31f
 
Why Frawley.

Because the music is stopping and we are running out of half options.

Frawley is young and we can get him on a cheap deal. Half Mullo money you would think. Even if we are stuck with plodko next year we can play him in reserves and start Frawley. He has shown something at least and won't be as useful as a telegraph pole planted in the middle of Mcdonald Jones Stadium.

If he is contracted for next year and on bugger all money not likely they will let him go. If Reynolds goes to the Tigers we don't have many options left. Get Roberts back?

The ultimate slap to hagan. Replace his replacement with the player that he moved on to replace him......wait, does that make sense?

Or do we stick with Cogger and forget about recruiting another half.
 
Kurriboy said:
Why Frawley.

Because the music is stopping and we are running out of half options.

Frawley is young and we can get him on a cheap deal. Half Mullo money you would think. Even if we are stuck with plodko next year we can play him in reserves and start Frawley. He has shown something at least and won't be as useful as a telegraph pole planted in the middle of Mcdonald Jones Stadium.

If he is contracted for next year and on bugger all money not likely they will let him go. If Reynolds goes to the Tigers er don't have many options left. Get Roberts back?

The ultimate slap to hagan. Replace his replacment with the player that he moved on to replace him......wait, does that make sense?
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His not contracted as yet, and i totally agree! Said the other day we should go after him, would cost 250k max and has promise about him.
Can cover fullback centre halves hooker if need be as well.
 
id take tupou over the other 2 if i had a choice, ferguson is overrated and like everyone is saying SKD surely has the odd mistake in his game. at least if we had tupou on a wing he gives us the option to kick to him every time, god knows we need a weapon like that because we are totally lost when it comes to red zone attack
 
everyone is forgetting about the injured half at st george drew hutchinson. he's missing the entire season with a ACL and if fit was going to wear the 7 this year. Bloke is some talent from what I've seen! big strong body who is great in defence and takes the line on with the footy.

coming off the injury he has he'd be extremely cheap, we are in desperate need of a 7 and he is well and truly worth the risk for 200k
 
Thornborough92 said:
id take tupou over the other 2 if i had a choice, ferguson is overrated and like everyone is saying SKD surely has the odd mistake in his game. at least if we had tupou on a wing he gives us the option to kick to him every time, god knows we need a weapon like that because we are totally lost when it comes to red zone attack
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Good for high kicks but he has a fair mistake in him


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my biggest problem with the recruitment is we don't seem to be chasing anyone unless they're worth a million a season, there is plenty of good talent that we can get to improve us without breaking the bank. a guy like hutchinson and a few decent props and we take another step up next year.
the way we attract good talent is by showing we are improved on field and are headed in the right direction. playing 7 or 8 20 year olds each week isn't going to make anyone keen on coming here.

my under 1 million wishlist
kasiano
hutchinson
tupou
skd
ofahengue
lewis
gubb
asiata
p kaufusi
AKOUOLA (say it in every thread but he's a must! cmon browny!!!)
gray

get me 5 or 6 of those blokes and that will go a long long way to attracting bigger names to trust what we are doing is head north!
 
We should try and get ata hingano or mason Lino just for the rest of the year


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88Knight4life said:
His signed till 2019 on 700k supposedly.

Will cost them a bit to move him on id think... but yes his the player they should let go, guys average.
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Modern NRL contracts are crazy, a guy like Mbye who looked like a good player in his first season & he gets a 700k contract.
 
Joshhh said:
Modern NRL contracts are crazy, a guy like Mbye who looked like a good player in his first season & he gets a 700k contract.
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he's always been over rated in my opinion. Even coming through the u20s he always got these massive wraps on him. He's half the player people think he is and think he will become
 
Ethan said:
I think Ferguson has it all over Tupou ...isn't Ferguson a current Aussie rep ...
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god knows why, he's pretty average in my opinion. to add to why id take tupou over ferguson is the exact point, he's an australian rep whose extremely overrated so the coin he's chasing would be double that of tupou
 
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