Dane Gagai Re-Signs with Knights until 2017
- Thread starter rhugh89
- Start date
Afro Zac
Todd Bates
Nah, he didn't live here for 3 years or anything...
Ethant1992
Banned
I mean this with 100% total respect to alex, but do you think the relationship Dane has with alex will factor into him wanting to stay and play for his mate? Dane writes 'Alex' on his wrist tape before every game and the bond and brotherhood him and the team would have gained over having to be there for each other for alex. I have always been gagai's biggest critic but I think he's been outstanding this season on and off the field and believe we should stop at nothing to resign him...
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You mean he was vacationing here for three years making 3mil whilst ripping our clubs culture to shreds and disrespecting all the greats to have represented our club? I wouldnt say he was living here haha
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You mean he was vacationing here for three years making 3mil whilst ripping our clubs culture to shreds and disrespecting all the greats to have represented our club? I wouldnt say he was living here haha
member 2299
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Poach Gagai and Beau Scott!
Ethant1992
Banned
Don't have a clue to make a new post, so I'll do it here, anyone think we should make a serious run at alex Johnston of souths? The kid has serious untapped potential and wants desperately to play fullback? Next year our fullback choices are mamo or Ross and to be honest neither are worthy of the fulltime spot, I think Johnston would consider us with the youth and direction or team has...
To be honest for the amount of money Johnston would cost to get here I'd be very sceptical given he doesn't play fullback regularly for his club. For that amount of money I'd at least want a regular NRL fullback. You also have to be extremely careful when taking kids out of a club side that have been killing it. Dylan Walker is sensational in his club system but has looked extremely out of his depth out of it.
The last thing we need is another rookie back that we're going to need to wait to develop fully in that position.
He'd be nice but it seems like irresponsible salary cap management to throw a heap of money at another back when we already have too many. I'm fairly confident we can fill fullback internally. We have a few options.
The last thing we need is another rookie back that we're going to need to wait to develop fully in that position.
He'd be nice but it seems like irresponsible salary cap management to throw a heap of money at another back when we already have too many. I'm fairly confident we can fill fullback internally. We have a few options.
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Ethant1992
Banned
Fair points, but like t.sheck at roosters last year only reason Johnston isn't playing fullback right now is because one of the greatest of all time is infront of him, who do you suggest we fill the spot internally with? I've seen nathan Ross play and I don't think he's first grade quality, Mamo has a lot to prove and I think most on here talk him up to be greater than what he is, he was a solid player in u20s last year but hasn't looked anything overly special in nsw cup
Junior11
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Mamo was more than a solid u20's player. His achievements, rep selections, leading tries and game breaking play shows that. He was a crucial key of our minor premiership and was easily one of the best fullbacks in the NYC and he has the best fullback award to prove it. He hasn't had the chance again to play fullback since he's recovered from his back injury but he's still starred in the Nines and trials and within 3 games of an underachieving NSW Cup playing on the wing he's scored 2 tries and set up others. Give him time in his preferred position, bulk him up a bit and I'd be excited at the prospect of him being our Tedesco-like fullback next year. Sione looks to be in line now though.
Regardless of how much someone might want to play fullback, the difficulty of a move there for any young kid still developing can't be under estimated. TVS did it really well but it's so rare that happens most experts have expressed their surprise at how quickly he took to it. The chances of Johnston moving from an extremely successful club to us and taking up fullback and running with it are slim. We'd be taking a massive risk.
I'd be more willing to take that risk if we didn't already have a few young backs early in their development. What happens if Johnston can't take to fullback in first grade? We have yet another winger on huge money.
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I'm also getting the feeling that Stone might be starting to see Sione as the future option there based on keeping him in the team.
What that means for our chances of keeping Gagai I don't know but it might mean the club is starting to feel more confident of retaining him.
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Well he has only had 3 games, and has only been playing half a game at fullback, but i'd say his second try against Newtown was the best piece of attacking fullback play i've seen from him and a classic try for his highlight reel for sure. He has also been near faultless with his handling this year, which is a big contrast to last year, where he would fumble 3 or 4 times a game.
Grandpa Joe
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Mamo had a few games I saw on foxtel were he stank up the field and was rag dolled. I can only imagine if someone like Manu or Idris got their hands on him if he played first grade this weekend.
Mamo seems to have bulked up quite a bit this year. In all honesty too he doesn't seem to be playing in a great NSW Cup team (the halves have been absolutely awful) that don't train much together. None of the players there have been killing it.
We'll know more about where he's at compared to last year when he gets another chance in the top grade.
We'll know more about where he's at compared to last year when he gets another chance in the top grade.
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
I don't know what people are judging NSW cup form on.
I missed their first game, where they apparently went pretty bad, but i've seen their last two games live, and they very clinically put away a good Newtown side, and they lost a close one against a very good Wyong side.
Our halves, and particularly the kicking game, is our weak point, but if you put in a half with a good kicking game like a Dobson, we would be as good as last year IMO.
Ross and Mamo carved up Newtown at Kurri, and our forwards have been impressive, especially the starting 5.
I missed their first game, where they apparently went pretty bad, but i've seen their last two games live, and they very clinically put away a good Newtown side, and they lost a close one against a very good Wyong side.
Our halves, and particularly the kicking game, is our weak point, but if you put in a half with a good kicking game like a Dobson, we would be as good as last year IMO.
Ross and Mamo carved up Newtown at Kurri, and our forwards have been impressive, especially the starting 5.
Junior11
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
He wasn't perfect in every game especially when he had the back injury. But if you saw his first half of the season and his years on the wing before moving to fullback I think your opinion may be different, who knows.
Yeah and I've never mentioned him to play NRL this year, I've been saying he has to get bigger first and more experience playing against men for the entire 2015 season in NSW Cup before he's any chance of being our full time fullback in the NRL. And seriously Vatuvei and Idris are going to ragdoll any small player now matter how old they are.
Anyway I agree it looks like Sione is being groomed as our future fullback.
I have a feeling that Chanel is being played in the NSW Cup centres for the rest of the year to get him ready to take Gagai's place while Sione will be our fullback. It'd make a lot of sense.
Ethant1992
Banned
Please never ever use Dobson and good in the same sentence again, he absolutely destroyed our season last year, Id go as far as saying he was the weakest of any half in the competition..... I'd like to see our win loss record with Dobson at 7 or 6? Anyone know?
mullenmagic
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Dobson played pretty bad in first grade but in NSW Cup he was easily one of the best halves in the comp and a was a big reason we made the grand final.
Defender1
Matthew Johns
Serious? He was close to the best half back in the NSW cup.