2023 Recruitment & Retention Thread

The club obviously thinks they are a strong chance to get KPP or Pryce or both for 2023.
Just looking at the NRL signings tracker, we only have 26 signed, and Clifford, Klemmer and a few others we might be hoping to offload are included in that.
There are guys like Crossland, Lucas and Vea'ila who will probably get a contract, and Brooks should be coming, but clearly, we have spots saved for KPP and Pryce.
 
McDermott coming over seems to bolster the case for the young Englishmen to arrive next season. We do desperately need them both for next year. Provided the players want the move, which you'd expect them to, the only prohibiting factor will be the transfer fees requested by their clubs. Perhaps the apparent lack of desire shown by the club to get them here for next year is part of a negotiation strategy to reduce those fees, if and when they're demanded.
 
The Giants just released their 2023 jerseys and Pryce was wearing one in the promotion. Could mean nothing but it makes me think he’s staying.
 
I really hope hodgeson has an injury free 2023, is given an early crack and turns out to be a quality fullback.

Spine positions are so important. Brailey is quality. I think ponga and brooks will be ok. We really need a 4th quality addition to our spine.
 
The club has wanted them for next season during the entire negotiation process, Huddersfield & Wigan aren’t interested. The Clifford/Pryce/Connor swap seemed like it might have had legs until you find out Connor will miss most, if not all, of next season so him being Pryce's replacement is out the window. As far as I can tell McDermott has had no association with either of the English kids either so don’t think him being on board has any bearing.

Also find comments like “we desperately need them for next season” to be setting them up for backlash when they aren’t immediate world beaters. They’re kids moving halfway across the world into an already weak squad. Would be nice to get them into an NRL system ASAP but in all likelihood they won't be difference makers next season. Pryce in particular has plenty of rough edges to work on before I’d put that expectation on his shoulders. KPP will be in the 17 the moment he arrives but will need to adjust to the physicality, and would also be coming off a very shortened pre-season due to his World Cup commitments.
 
mullenmagic said:
The club has wanted them for next season during the entire negotiation process, Huddersfield & Wigan aren’t interested. The Clifford/Pryce/Connor swap seemed like it might have had legs until you find out Connor will miss most, if not all, of next season so him being Pryce's replacement is out the window. As far as I can tell McDermott has had no association with either of the English kids either so don’t think him being on board has any bearing.

Also find comments like “we desperately need them for next season” to be setting them up for backlash when they aren’t immediate world beaters. They’re kids moving halfway across the world into an already weak squad. Would be nice to get them into an NRL system ASAP but in all likelihood they won't be difference makers next season. Pryce in particular has plenty of rough edges to work on before I’d put that expectation on his shoulders. KPP will be in the 17 the moment he arrives but will need to adjust to the physicality, and would also be coming off a very shortened pre-season due to his World Cup commitments.
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I don't think KPP will have much impact. I don't think he has the right build for the NRL. Just my opinion.

Pryce will need time and even then, there's no guarantees at all. However, the reason we need them desperately, imo, is for depth, firstly, and then we want to get our hands on them asap. Waiting another 12 months for Pryce is a huge problem because it kinda requires us to make plans that don't include him, which is an expensive problem to have. We need Pyrce immediately so we can find out how useful he'll likely be and plan around it
 
mullenmagic said:
The club has wanted them for next season during the entire negotiation process, Huddersfield & Wigan aren’t interested. The Clifford/Pryce/Connor swap seemed like it might have had legs until you find out Connor will miss most, if not all, of next season so him being Pryce's replacement is out the window. As far as I can tell McDermott has had no association with either of the English kids either so don’t think him being on board has any bearing.

Also find comments like “we desperately need them for next season” to be setting them up for backlash when they aren’t immediate world beaters. They’re kids moving halfway across the world into an already weak squad. Would be nice to get them into an NRL system ASAP but in all likelihood they won't be difference makers next season. Pryce in particular has plenty of rough edges to work on before I’d put that expectation on his shoulders. KPP will be in the 17 the moment he arrives but will need to adjust to the physicality, and would also be coming off a very shortened pre-season due to his World Cup commitments.
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Between this and the November 1 thing, people are just desperately grasping at straws thinking there’s going to be some miracle that turns us into a competitive side. Truth is next year will be another very tough one, especially if AOB stays at the helm throughout.
 
jamesgould said:
Between this and the November 1 thing, people are just desperately grasping at straws thinking there’s going to be some miracle that turns us into a competitive side. Truth is next year will be another very tough one, especially if AOB stays at the helm throughout.
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I totally agree that next year is going to a tough one, it should be AOB’s last year to prove he is up to the job. But if we don’t recruit a decent half back in time for them to have an off season with us, I think next season will just be about us trying to avoid getting the wooden spoon.
 
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Lefty said:
I totally agree that next year is going to a tough one, it should be AOB’s last year to prove he is up to the job. But if we don’t recruit a decent half back in time for them to have an off season with us, I think next season will just be about us trying to avoid getting the wooden spoon.
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It is literally true that Brooks will be playing halfback at the Knights next season and will be here for pre-season
 
Les Misérables said:
Pryce will need time and even then, there's no guarantees at all. However, the reason we need them desperately, imo, is for depth, firstly, and then we want to get our hands on them asap. Waiting another 12 months for Pryce is a huge problem because it kinda requires us to make plans that don't include him, which is an expensive problem to have. We need Pyrce immediately so we can find out how useful he'll likely be and plan around it
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100% agree we need to get these 2 ASAP.

Also we can't put the pressure of expectation on these kids. Yes we are bad but we can't look at these 2 as our saviors. If its 2023 or 2024 it will take time for them.

The earlier we get them the earlier we can develop them. Look at Dom, he needed a year here to acclimatize before we could put him into first grade. Also they will need time to develop their bodies to the rigors of NRL.
 
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