2023 Recruitment & Retention Thread

The guy in the squad who has played a fair bit of 9 and could handle best I think is Hastings. But he was doing that when he was a fringe player, I don't think you weaken the half-back spot to use him as a temporary hooker.
 
Unfortunately we will be minus a decent hooker for sometime, club don’t seem to be chasing anyone, Randall wasn’t great but he was better than Crossland or Mann. Our best option at this time appears to be Crosslands playing most minutes with Elliott or Kalepo as relief, Mann is very doubtful
 
Billy said:
Crossland is a surprisingly good fill in hooker. He can't go 80 minutes, but not many fill in hookers can, if any.
Mann has been awful.
I never saw any of the games where Elliott played some time at hooker for Canberra, but he can't be worse than Mann. He says he doesn't like playing hooker, but at this point, he owes us a bit.
Ryan Rivett was well off the pace in his short stint at hooker.
Temple Kalepo only played 42 minutes in reserves again this week, but his first stint was 35 minutes, which I think was his longest yet, so he is building up.

All I can see is 60 minutes from Crossland and 20 minutes from Elliott. If Crossland got injured I don't know how we name a side - we'd have to throw Gamble or Clune into hooker.
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Even though we'd only need 20-25 out of him it is a bit concerning that Kalepo is only getting through about half a game at cup level.

What do you think about Wilkinson instead? Has a fair bit of cup experience now over the last couple of seasons and has been able to do the big minutes at 9 during that time, also has a bit of utility value to him if injuries were to strike having started in the halves a fair bit last season and I believe in at least one game he got shifted out to centre as injury cover. Appears he's below Kalepo in the Knights long-term plans at the moment but if Kalepo isn't ready do you think it'd be worth giving him a shot?
 
MullosLefttoRight said:
Even though we'd only need 20-25 out of him it is a bit concerning that Kalepo is only getting through about half a game at cup level.

What do you think about Wilkinson instead? Has a fair bit of cup experience now over the last couple of seasons and has been able to do the big minutes at 9 during that time, also has a bit of utility value to him if injuries were to strike having started in the halves a fair bit last season and I believe in at least one game he got shifted out to centre as injury cover. Appears he's below Kalepo in the Knights long-term plans at the moment but if Kalepo isn't ready do you think it'd be worth giving him a shot?
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Wilkinson has always been a utility who can play time at hooker to relieve a proper hooker. He's been forced to play mostly hooker recently, but he never seems to get long minutes. I'm sure he'd give it his best shot for 20 or 30 minutes if we were desperate though. i don't think he's ever had a firstgrade pre-season.
 
Temple Kalepo in reserve grade

Round 5 - 18 minutes - 9 tackles - off the bench - 2 fantasy points
Round 6 - 25 minutes - 12 tackles - started - 11 fantasy points
Round 7 - 42 minutes - 15 tackles - started - 20 fantasy points
Round 8 - 39 minutes - 23 tackles - started - 23 fantasy points
Round 9 - 44 minutes - 26 tackles - started - 26 fantasy points

This week he started and lasted 35 minutes before being replaced and came back on for the last 9. I think 35 has been his longest stint yet, so he is building up his fitness and has 2 weeks before we play again.

On an unrelated note, Jack Johns, who used to play in the halves, has been playing 80 minutes and topping the tackle count every week in reserves - this week he made what is probably a career high 47 tackles.
 
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Frank McWilliams said:
Unfortunately we will be minus a decent hooker for sometime, club don’t seem to be chasing anyone, Randall wasn’t great but he was better than Crossland or Mann. Our best option at this time appears to be Crosslands playing most minutes with Elliott or Kalepo as relief, Mann is very doubtful
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It’s annoying right now that we are down a hooker, but I don’t think they will chase one as there planning for last year seemed to be around Kalepo and also Riley Jonez
But like Brailz, they bothe got injured in pre season with Kalepo coming back few weeks ago and Riley a few more away also now.
So no matter what it will be next man up from within as like most would love to see Luke Huth come in as he probably most ready physically but don’t see him leaving Cessnock to sign NRL/NSW cup contract again and spend few weeks getting upto speed again with the team
 
mullenmagic said:
A new name on the wing in NSW Cup this week - Laitia Moceidreke from the Cowboys.

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Take him. He is the total opposite in everything you want from your stereotypical Fijian winger. He isn’t fast, isn’t built like a brick sh*thouse, hits the defence with as much power as a feather, can’t catch high balls etc etc.
 
cowboyman said:
Take him. He is the total opposite in everything you want from your stereotypical Fijian winger. He isn’t fast, isn’t built like a brick sh*thouse, hits the defence with as much power as a feather, can’t catch high balls etc etc.
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Looks quick enough to me. Just has no leg speed after contact. Typical string bean player who gets knocked over fairly easy with long legs. Would do ok if he applied himself in all areas of the game.
 
Can’t say I saw what everyone else was seeing, but I’m sure he’ll be the second Souths player to reach 200 tries now.
 
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