2022 Knights Recruitment & Retention Thread

Their best player week in week out when fit is Doueihi IMO. Laurie impressed me last year but I reckon the Wests stink has rubbed off on him a bit this year, effort levels look way down. I think though that he’s still a guy who’s gonna have some suitors for fairly big money and it seems from the outside looking in that the club is set on a spine featuring Brailey, Clifford and Ponga, and that they’re looking to find prospects who’ll fight each other for that fourth spot, rather than importing another quick fix.
 
Billy said:
Kelly had a brilliant junior career for a couple of clubs and debuted in firstgrade for Cronulla as a teenager. He was released by all his clubs because of behavioural issues related to alcohol. He is from Macksville and ended up playing for Central in the Newcastle comp. Wayne Bennett offered him a chance at the Knights on condition he didn't drink. After a preseason with reserves and half a dozen games in reserves he was looking like he could make firstgrade very soon but getting in trouble at a nightclub at 2am put an end to that. He went to the Titans and they eventually released him too. He went to play for Hull in the ESL and was often in trouble for drunken 2 am antics there as well, but they put up with him because he was a great player for them.
The sad thing is that he's never done anything serious - he's just a pain in the *** when he has a few drinks.
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Thankyou billy I suspected there was alot more too it but it’d just been something that had floated around in chats with mates. Yeah that Is sad that alcohol had such an impact on his career but glad he’s giving it a red hot go at Brisbane.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Their best player week in week out when fit is Doueihi IMO. Laurie impressed me last year but I reckon the Wests stink has rubbed off on him a bit this year, effort levels look way down. I think though that he’s still a guy who’s gonna have some suitors for fairly big money and it seems from the outside looking in that the club is set on a spine featuring Brailey, Clifford and Ponga, and that they’re looking to find prospects who’ll fight each other for that fourth spot, rather than importing another quick fix.
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I was more thinking of bringing him in as a 6, having Clifford as a lock for one halves spot. Laurie and Clune to fight out the last halves spot, massive talent and not to forget he is 22 years YOUNG with less than 30 NRL games over 2 years in the top league. So much upside to the signing for whoever gains him.

And for the question of "why hasn't he been re signed?" 🤣 don't make ask me dumb questions... Tigers have failed to re sign any talent they have ever had in that side. Too busy prioritising Brooks for 1m a year. When Doueihi is fit and firing he is best but that is not as often as when Laurie is on the field. Plus the whole Tigers side is lacking confidence and sucks this year so he don't have much to work with.
 
JuniorFromNewyy said:
Bit of an out of the box thought... But will the Knights consider looking at signing Daine Laurie for 2024 as a five eight/fullback considering Tigers are yet to open discussions and he is free to talk to other clubs as of November 1. Massive talent, very versatile, X Factor, and work ethic is great. Adds a point of difference in attack and arguably tigers best player week in week out.
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McKenzie Baker seems like a very similar player. Might as well continue developing him I think.
 
News reported late tonight (thursday night). Dolphins are now interested in Mat Croker and are looking to sign him.

I feel as though this is a player we should look to lock down before any outside interest gets near him, work rate is phenomenal and isn't a world-beater but he does his job and does it well, only young with plenty of upside. I think it's been mentioned on here before, that he should be taking Pasami Saulo's top 30 contract at year's end.
 
Would be tough to compete with if they want him. He can land a top 30 contract there with a significant pay rise compared to what we can offer him.
 
We’d be bloody stupid to let him go. Another great local junior who should already be signed to a top 30 deal. It amazes me that he isn’t already.
 
Absolutely crazy if we don't retain him, lock him up early for 2-3 years in our top 30 and he won't say no.... hopefully haha.

Off-contract list 2022:
Re-sign:
- Simi Sasagi
- Sauaso Sue (imagine he'd be cheap to retain, adds strike plus experience, good for depth)
- Mat Croker (take Saulos top 30)

Maybes:
- Edrick Lee (performance pending).
- Tex Hoy (as above).
- Jirah Momoisea (as above).

Let go:
- Phoenix Crosslands (had plenty of shots but doesn't provide, time to move on and start fresh).
- Pasami Saulo (Mat Croker out plays him for his top 30 contract).
- Brayden Musgrove (look at upgrading Mack Baker in his top 30 spot?)
 
mozza said:
Any word on Milford’s court case? We’ll need him very soon.
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yeah i agree, i thought it was meant to be early April when we'd find out. Honestly would sign him to a 1 year deal with a 1 year mutual option. Get more bang for our buck $
 
JuniorFromNewyy said:
yeah i agree, i thought it was meant to be early April when we'd find out. Honestly would sign him to a 1 year deal with a 1 year mutual option. Get more bang for our buck $
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Court case is on Monday. Think Toohey reported if it’s not sorted out on Monday we’ll walk away. He could be in the side when we take on the Dragons next week.
 
The reason for not signing Croker seems to be based on leaving a spot for Milford so we could end up with an expensive player who will only be here for less than a season but loose our local produced forward who could be here for years.
Sign Croker now to commence next season get both Milford this and Croker for the future who can continue this season on whatever deal he is on
 
Knights have kept signing Croker to lower-grade contracts because they have known that other clubs are unlikely to outbid them for even that amount for him. If Dolphins are genuinely interested, then Knights need to reassess that. Croker seems like the loyal type where he’d stay for less, but we’d be stupid to think another part-time contract (or whatever it is with us) will keep him around. I think he stays for next year and Saulo is moved on.
 
Croker strikes me as they type of player who has a big engine and to play his best footy needs a lot of minutes. Unfortunately Klemmer and the Safs will be in front of him for the foreseeable future his probably right to look for a move.
 
Matty John's brought up.if ponga leaves they should go for Munster by even if ponga re signs surely we will have marque money to have a crack at him as well cause a spine of ponga Munster Clifford and Brailey would be top line
 
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