Recruitment And Retention Discussion

Is he any good?
I can only remember seeing play at the bunnies.

Also did we have a top 30 spot?
Or would be be on a supplementary contract?
 
EASBay17 said:
topupsportnews.co.uk

LET'S GO!!! OFFICIAL: NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS SIGN FORWARD

Newcastle Knights head of football expressed excitement about the acquisition, stating: “We’re delighted to
topupsportnews.co.uk


Came across this cant find any info anywhere else.
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The only good thing about this would be having Danika Mason in Newcastle on the semi -regular. I’d probably get done for stalking.

Otherwise, there is no way this is true, not the type of experienced forward we need, nor are we sacrificing any of our young forwards for Liam bloody Knight.
 
There’s also another article in there about Roosters signing Griffin Neme. Which isn’t true. So yeah, very fake news. Also the site has a billion pop up ads. I’m probably on the watch list for something now.
 
It's a site that just pumps out AI generated stories.

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mullenmagic said:
It's a site that just pumps out AI generated stories.

Other articles posted in the last few days:

Anthony Minichiello announces the passing of beloved aunt
topupsportnews.co.uk

Rugby league great Anthony Minichiello has announced...

Since retiring, Minichiello has remained closely connected to the Roosters as a mentor and ambassador, while also contributing to...
topupsportnews.co.uk

Jaelen Feeney announces the passing of beloved uncle
topupsportnews.co.uk

Former Newcastle Knights player Jaelen Feeney has announced...

After departing the Knights at the end of 2017, Feeney continued his career in regional competitions, where he has...
topupsportnews.co.uk

Reece Walsh announces the passing of beloved uncle
topupsportnews.co.uk

Brisbane Broncos fullback Reece Walsh has announced the...

During the 2025 season, Walsh cemented his status as one of the game’s elite, notching 14 tries, 26 try assists, and...
topupsportnews.co.uk
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Thank god for that. thought it was strange it was nowhere else. 🤦
 
Not sure if this is true, why would we offer him a 3 year deal? I can't imagine many clubs interested in him?

31 with a chequered history I am calling BS.

Hasn't be relevant in NRL in years.
 
Yeah pretty sure it's AI slop, but Peter Hola got a two year deal so who knows.

Huge question hanging over the team's head is "what happens when Jacob Saifiti gets injured?" and signing a big lump like Hola for minimum wage is POS' shoestring budget answer to that. He's not good, but you hope he can give you 15-20 minutes and 5 runs where he dents the line a bit until Jacob gets back. So it wouldn't exactly shock me if he picked up Liam Knight to take Sullivan's spot in the top 30 if it can be done very very cheap.
 
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I think they are too, it helps that Hopwood is now a lot closer to playing NRL regularly, and yeah I'd imagine Crouch too. It's just last year we were starting Brodie Jones at prop, who's a *small* 100kg (as in, he doesn't really play above that weight), after not very many injuries. That's my point.

Contrast with the Dolphins who copped one of the worst forward injury tolls I've seen, again, last year, but at least had bodies to throw out there to give them go forward, even if they were also leaking like a busted sieve in D.

Could be off the mark with this of course but if Wil Sullivan does get medically retired for example, I am not going to be shocked at all if we see that spot taken by someone in a similar mold to Hola. The point is filling a spot in the top 30, which the rules say you have to do by date X, with as close as you can get to zero salary. "Break glass in case of go forward emergency." These big units also help with the problem of your NSW Cup players getting bashed, which can happen if too much of the game day team are really young.
 
On potential implications of the 6-man bench for future roster decisions - If Gags really wants to play til he's 38 you'd have to consider the value of having him to push for selection from 2-5 and failing that as the outside backs cover in the 19-man gameday squad.

You wouldn't be signing him on the premise that he's going to play 20 games a season and that would need to be reflected in contract value accordingly. I just can't believe just how strong he remains and though he's obviously not as quick as he once was he still moves more than well enough, has elite hands to put Dom away and pulled off some massive defensive plays.
 
Yeah Gagai is still classy, hard to believe he's 35 now. Same age as Mad Dog in his last year when he was still setting up Uate. We probably don't appreciate him enough, 35 and more than holding his own in a game where young guys overtake the old guys all the time.
 
MullosLefttoRight said:
On potential implications of the 6-man bench for future roster decisions - If Gags really wants to play til he's 38 you'd have to consider the value of having him to push for selection from 2-5 and failing that as the outside backs cover in the 19-man gameday squad.

You wouldn't be signing him on the premise that he's going to play 20 games a season and that would need to be reflected in contract value accordingly. I just can't believe just how strong he remains and though he's obviously not as quick as he once was he still moves more than well enough, has elite hands to put Dom away and pulled off some massive defensive plays.
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Just been thinking about that mate. Dane's absolutely still got it and he was a big part of the win in both defence and attack. He's part of the leadership group for a reason. I would love if he walked into a job at the club the day he retires.

I also think that maybe the team has a bit of a higher ceiling if we can play Sandon Smith at 7 and play Fletcher in the centres. I know Fletch was good at 6 on Sunday but I still think in a "gun player wearing the #6" rather than a "good half" kind of way. I look at it like how Kotoni Staggs is one of Brisbane's most impactful players because he does a lot of "stuff" in most games: turn average yardage sets into full field sets where a try is scored with one 20-30m dummy half scoot; chase down a kick for a try; be the tackler who forces a line drop out; pop up in broken play/support to be the key guy to turn a half chance into a try; be used as a "second fullback" in set plays. I look at that and I believe Fletcher can do all that but even better, and I believe with Sandon at 7 we get more out of Bradman Best & Dylan Lucas at the same time. I want Smith and Sharpe both on the field for the full 80 and Best + Young are the only outside backs I also see as non-negotiable "have to be in the team for the next few years" guys.

But if I'm the head coach, am I going to go up to Dane Gagai and say "hey, Origin and club legend Dane Gagai, I'm benching you/putting you on the wing so a guy who has more starts in NSW Cup than first grade can play halfback and we can play a 25 game utility in your spot"? Probably not. But likewise when we're looking at the squad for 2027, he'll be 36 next year, there just has to be a cap on the kind of money you offer to an outside back at that age.

There's also the point that some combination of two out of Dane Gagai, Tyson Frizell & Greg Marzhew's salaries (to be clear, do not want to push any of them out the door) may be what you need to take advantage of an opportunity like Mitchell Barnett getting a release.

All just spitballing, all good problems to have, nice to be talking about players who all bring a lot to the table as opposed to a few years ago where we were like "wow Tyson Gamble rules!"
 
Joshhh said:
Yeah Gagai is still classy, hard to believe he's 35 now. Same age as Mad Dog in his last year when he was still setting up Uate. We probably don't appreciate him enough, 35 and more than holding his own in a game where young guys overtake the old guys all the time.
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No secret that I absolutely love seeing a grizzled veteran carry on their career when most have hung up the boots. MacDougall was one of my all-time favourites and it's so good to see Gagai doing the same. Seen plenty of people calling for the retirement of both. But I absolutely think we under-rate these types of players, the knowledge they can pass on, the things they learn about the game that take a decade to realise, the adaption they do to stay competitive with players sometimes 15 years younger ...

Uate and Dom would both be/were happy to see them continue on, I'm sure.
 
I personal don’t believe Gagai and or Frizell are that badly underrated I feel that for most fans they are scared. They might be worried that we could lose a really talented player because they are stuck behind a 34+ year old and meanwhile that player we lost might go on to be great for 11+ years

Not saying I want both out of the team just what I theorise people are thinking, because at the very extremely best both frizz and Gags have what 3 years left? And that’s at the most hopeful as I said, Meanwhile a guy we lose might have 11,12,13 years worth.

So I can see where people are coming from if that’s the argument they wish to make, clearly there are arguments against this way of thinking as well which I don’t care enough to go into.
 
Yeah I just look at it in terms of a potential 2027 lineup. Imagine:

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Dominic Young
3. Fletcher Sharpe
4. Bradman Best
5. Greg Marzhew/Kingston Seve/Fletcher Hunt
6. Dylan Brown
7. Sandon Smith

13. Mitchell Barnett
12. Jermaine McEwen
11. Dylan Lucas
10. Trey Mooney
9. Phoenix Crossland
8. Jacob Saifiti

14. Matthew Arthur/Matthew Hunter
15. Cody Hopwood
16. Francis Manulelua
17. Tyson Frizell/Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana
18. Fletcher Hunt/Kingston Seve
19. Matthew Croker/Thomas Cant

All extremely hypothetical to be clear, but all of a sudden that looks like a bloody scary backline playing behind a strong starting pack which can match it with most teams, with real sauce on the bench. It's far from a "I'm ecstatic to drive Gagai/Frizell or whoever to their new clubs". But also I don't think there's a scenario where Barnett comes back to the club and both those guys + Greg Marzhew are still here next year.
 
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