Les Misérables
Adam Woolnough
If we bottle this signing that is a HUGE error on the part of POS. Puts our short-medium term success at risk
2026 Recruitment And Retention
- Thread starter HarVeeGee13
- Start date
Tackleslikeagirl
George Mann
I will be very disappointed if he doesnt come however we cannot force him to come, we offer an extra year, more money. If the club genuinely believes Smith will be better for us at 9, not sure what else POS can do
Sounds like he has asked for more time as was supposed to have made a decision last weekend. Both clubs waiting for an answer per Toohey.
alexwilliams
Sean Rudder
It's coming from Brent Read so he's probably coming here
mullenmagic
Andrew 'Joey' Johns
KPGreatness
Jason Temu
Smith is clearly a much much better half than Brown and he is light years ahead of Sharpe, if we try to make him a 9 than we are one of the most idiotic clubs in the leagues history.
frankLauda
Ben Kennedy
Strange timing with Sandon, and potential coach Hollbrook. If Hollbrook gets the job, and you would have to think in all likelihood he does. He would probably want to play Sandon as a half.
But the timing not ideal. Has the club said to him he is playing 9. Surely they have told him he could be the 7 also.
But the timing not ideal. Has the club said to him he is playing 9. Surely they have told him he could be the 7 also.
Brown has the potential to go down as the best half bar johns for the club by the time his done here, 6 or 7.
waynesworld
Shane Mackley
He is not a better half than Brown, but Brown and Smith in the halves with Sharpe in the outside backs and all of a sudden the Knight's have one of the best back lines in the competition. The pitch really should just be we want quality players at the club and wherever you fit in you will.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Yep I've said this elsewhere but have been shouted down for it because apparently it's "misleading" to tell Sandon anything other than, if he's at the club he HAS to play 9, no ifs no buts.
Like come on we literally changed our mind about which position the hooker we just gave a four year extension to should be playing.
Don't lie to the guy and tell him there's not a real chance he'll end up at 9, but "we see you as a player like Ben Hunt who could do a great job at 7, 6 and 9, where you'll play will be dictated by what's best for the team, if you prove you deserve a halves jersey, that's where you'll play". How hard is that? What's misleading about it? Players get recruited on the basis of a pitch like that all the time.
I mean we allegedly do not even know who the head coach will be, how could we possibly guarantee who'll play where out of our 9/halves/13 utility Crossland, backline utility Sharpe, and possible halves/hooker utility Sandon?
If the new signing playing hooker is a non-negotiable, Tyran Wishart is probably better, because I think dummy half is his true position, and I reckon he'd be one of the better hookers going if he trained there full time. Legit think Sandon is an obvious candidate for a half you can get now for $450K who'll be a a $7-800K half as he hits his late 20's though... and we already have a serviceable hooker on the books + good young 9 prospects, but fart all for true #7's.
Some might question that valuation of Sandon but his attacking numbers this season are not that far off where Dearden was at at the same age, also playing five-eighth in a mid table side with a gun fullback and bleh kickbot halfback, right before he got a million 5 year/5 million dollar extension. I think he's that exact kind of player teams cycle through because they're like "yes he's good, BUT" and then they want someone else, someone else, someone sexier... and unless they happen to have Sam Walker on the books, everyone else they try instead ends up being worse.
mullenmagic
Andrew 'Joey' Johns
O'Sullivan has said all along he wants two hookers in the top squad. We only have one currently with Crossland viewed as a lock, and one in the development squad. A new coach might have different views and you can pivot from there if needed, but for now the guy writing the cheques thinks Smith can/should be a hooker and sees that area as a more pressing need for the Knights, so that's what he's selling him on.
Les Misérables
Adam Woolnough
We 'can't pivot from there' if the blokes signs with the Cowboys. That's what is so asinine about it.
And not even POS can guarantee where Sandon would play next season under a new coach.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
The fundamental point of disagreement I have here, right, is that while Sharpe is obviously on a different class of talent to Phoenix Crossland, Crossland has demonstrated himself to be a very capable 80 minute hooker. He understands the key requirements of the position and can perform them to an average to good standard over a full season, and then he's this very aggressive and physical defender on top of that. It has been proven that you can build a very good side with Phoenix at hooker. Conclusively.
Sharpe is a guy who has done some great stuff while happening to wear a 6 jersey, but it has not been demonstrated that he has a great grasp of the requirements of or ability to execute the - very technical & demanding - position. It has not been proven that you can have a good or even *average* side with him at 6. He's had very good moments because he's a very talented player but he has not been a good half as of yet.
It has also not been proven you can have a good side with Dylan Brown at 7. It has been proven that you can have a premiership contender with Brown at 6.
Sandon is yet to prove he can be the halfback in a very good side, but he's 13-15 in his starts in the halves, has played a pretty similar role whether named at 6 or 7, and has had most of his halves starts in the weakened version of the Roosters over the last few years, rather than the really good 2024 team. This is all really quite promising for a guy who's only 15 months older than Isaiya Katoa.
I should probably give this a rest because it's driving me a bit mad lol.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
He is the most talented five-eighth we have ever had at the club, by a mile. He is closer to Ponga in terms of talent than most are prepared to accept at this point. The rest of how the spine is put together should have maximising Brown & Ponga in mind. Simple as that.
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HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
It's as reported by the media mate.
recency bias + his reported salary has created an echo chamber of negativity around him.
The blokes 24 years old, extremely talented, rock solid in defense and 3 or 5 years away from his peak, in which his salary is going be considered a steal.
quietly wouldnt mind him putting on a clinic this weekend.
EddieC
Michael McKeirnan
I hope we get Sandon but question remains on Arthur.M surely? Have we gone in too strong last year thinking he was good to go? If they are throwing 4 years at Sandon, Matt only here for 2 more and would he want to always be “developing” in cup with the club looking for new hooker options?
waynesworld
Shane Mackley
I believe it takes hookers a while to become solid first graders. There is a head and shoulders best in Grant, then about 6-7 that are good players. Then the rest have serviceable to bad hookers. Arthur is still only 20, hopefully he features in our NRL side next year but I think expectations should be quite low.
Good Times
Glenn Grief
We absolutely can pivot to other options at hooker though. We tried to sign Leo, missed and pivoted to other options at prop to replace him. Tried to sign Jonah, missed and pivoted to Brown. If we miss on Smith, we'll no doubt try to sign someone else.