Recruitment And Retention Discussion

[BTP]

Zero doubt our halves depth is pretty crap, I know we don't have a spot but Volkman would be handy.

MSN

Word is they are planning on having Butler join Hunter in halves for Cup next season. Possibly this season if Gambke can’t get back on field.

Bishop will take Votano’s spot.

Butler will play SG again next year obviously but once that’s done, up to Cup.
Can call upon a local half to play Cup with Hunter like Taj Blackman until that happens.

Cooper Votano would then be Flegg 6 with McKensie staying on as 7 who is there currently.

It’s good to buy experienced halves for back up. But I don’t think we should hold back these lads anymore.

 

[HarVeeGee13]

Do we have bad halves depth? Brown, Sharpe, Smith, Crossland if needed, Hunter, and then I'm sure a young fella will find their way onto the development list.

If anything what I think might be nice is finding some way to improve the back up fullback spot so we can leave Fletch at 6 when Kalyn's out.

 

[R_A]

You guys forgot Ponga, lol

 

[Seano]

If anything what I think might be nice is finding some way to improve the back up fullback spot so we can leave Fletch at 6 when Kalyn's out.

Hunt is my nomination to be 2027 Mr Fixit, and for the rest of this season, for that matter, the other Fletch should only play 6.

 

[Seth Gecko]

Our halves depth is excellent. No idea where the hell that came from! Sandon has been unreal for us. The focus on his defensive lapses seems to cloud how good his kicking game is and his IQ in attack is underrated.

 

[Grandpa Joe]

From me.

 

[bremsstrahlung]

IMO, without Smith in our squad, we aren’t Top 8.

He has allowed us to keep ticking along without Brown/Ponga/Sharpe/Gags/Best (allowing for re-shuffles).

Graham has also stepped up, his ability to come on at hooker has been needed a lot, especially when we needed Smith in the halves.

No offence to Gamble, but we have progressed and grown. He was a decent option for a while, but I’d much rather throw the keys to a young player for the odd week next year. If Smith or Sharpe goes down early - sure, maybe we look at bringing in somebody to cover. Brown will be back - but most don’t return to pre ACL level for 12 months. So I expect he will be chomping at the bit for 2028, but 2027 may be tentative.

Our depth with 1-2 injuries is pretty good, we have lots of players capable of doing jobs in other positions.

Like we deemed Sharpe at centre with Brown and Smith halves a better option than simply filling centre and leaving Smith on the bench.

I think Hooker for 2027 with Crossland, Graham and Hagan is pretty decent.

Curious to see what we do with Hunt. I think he’s deserving of a spot atm, unless Winter has a stellar off season. But he’s arguably our next best option at Fullback and Wing - so is he the Sharpe? Does he settle into Centre if we are full strength and plug gaps when there’s an injury? With Winter coming in?

Curious how Winter would go at FB or Wing?

Outside backs back be interesting area to watch in our squad development.

 

[Die Hard]

IMO, without Smith in our squad, we aren’t Top 8.

He has allowed us to keep ticking along without Brown/Ponga/Sharpe/Gags/Best (allowing for re-shuffles).

Graham has also stepped up, his ability to come on at hooker has been needed a lot, especially when we needed Smith in the halves.

No offence to Gamble, but we have progressed and grown. He was a decent option for a while, but I’d much rather throw the keys to a young player for the odd week next year. If Smith or Sharpe goes down early - sure, maybe we look at bringing in somebody to cover. Brown will be back - but most don’t return to pre ACL level for 12 months. So I expect he will be chomping at the bit for 2028, but 2027 may be tentative.

Our depth with 1-2 injuries is pretty good, we have lots of players capable of doing jobs in other positions.

Like we deemed Sharpe at centre with Brown and Smith halves a better option than simply filling centre and leaving Smith on the bench.

I think Hooker for 2027 with Crossland, Graham and Hagan is pretty decent.

Curious to see what we do with Hunt. I think he’s deserving of a spot atm, unless Winter has a stellar off season. But he’s arguably our next best option at Fullback and Wing - so is he the Sharpe? Does he settle into Centre if we are full strength and plug gaps when there’s an injury? With Winter coming in?

Curious how Winter would go at FB or Wing?

Outside backs back be interesting area to watch in our squad development.

Winter is a great fb, Brown will be chomping at the bit to come back and get in form before the finals series next year.

 

[Nightsondee]

IMO, without Smith in our squad, we aren’t Top 8.

He has allowed us to keep ticking along without Brown/Ponga/Sharpe/Gags/Best (allowing for re-shuffles).

Graham has also stepped up, his ability to come on at hooker has been needed a lot, especially when we needed Smith in the halves.

No offence to Gamble, but we have progressed and grown. He was a decent option for a while, but I’d much rather throw the keys to a young player for the odd week next year. If Smith or Sharpe goes down early - sure, maybe we look at bringing in somebody to cover. Brown will be back - but most don’t return to pre ACL level for 12 months. So I expect he will be chomping at the bit for 2028, but 2027 may be tentative.

Our depth with 1-2 injuries is pretty good, we have lots of players capable of doing jobs in other positions.

Like we deemed Sharpe at centre with Brown and Smith halves a better option than simply filling centre and leaving Smith on the bench.

I think Hooker for 2027 with Crossland, Graham and Hagan is pretty decent.

Curious to see what we do with Hunt. I think he’s deserving of a spot atm, unless Winter has a stellar off season. But he’s arguably our next best option at Fullback and Wing - so is he the Sharpe? Does he settle into Centre if we are full strength and plug gaps when there’s an injury? With Winter coming in?

Curious how Winter would go at FB or Wing?

Outside backs back be interesting area to watch in our squad development.

Shouldn’t the Hookers be Crossy, Graham and Arthur? With Hagen as the development? He’s still signed to our top 30 till end of 2027 thanks to godfather Adam! For the money he’s getting I’m sure after the year he hasn’t, the only place he could try and get somewhere else on those dollars is Leeds!!

 

[MattyM]

Would be cutting Arthur. Not really needed with Crossland, Graham and Hagan already overtaking him in the pecking order.

 

[Macca89]

I wonder if he will get an offer from Perth come November 1?

 

[Nightsondee]

Totally agree with all of that but if the offer comes from somewhere else (which would surprise me as he seems a cup player at best) I guarantee we will have to kick in on some of that I’m sure. It wasn’t the best business deal that one! I said that a few years ago.

 

[Joshhh]

Totally agree with all of that but if the offer comes from somewhere else (which would surprise me as he seems a cup player at best) I guarantee we will have to kick in on some of that I’m sure. It wasn’t the best business deal that one! I said that a few years ago.

Can cop that one, it happens. Have to take punts sometimes with young players in important positions. You never know, you might get the next Harry Grant.

The ones that are impossible to understand are deals like McCarthy having player options or Sullivan having a 3-year top 30 contract. These are not the kind of players to have tying up the salary cap for multiple seasons.

 

[knights80]

Anybody at the game today, Did the Knights do a tribute to finishing up players on the team after the game or before the game?

So far we have Gags,Gamble announced leaving
Brodie Jones, Wilson DeCourcey pretty much confirmed gone
Rumours that others tapped on shoulder that may not have been public yet

 

[HarVeeGee13]

Can cop that one, it happens. Have to take punts sometimes with young players in important positions. You never know, you might get the next Harry Grant.

Yep we had a desperate need for more dynamism in the spine and didn’t have the Time Machine to tell us we were going to sign Dylan Brown & that Sharpe would pan out as an elite five-eighth.

 

[luke46]

Hunt is my nomination to be 2027 Mr Fixit, and for the rest of this season, for that matter, the other Fletch should only play 6.

put hunt down at right center in permanent marker and don’t move him imo with Gagai gone

 

[bremsstrahlung]

Hunt is my nomination to be 2027 Mr Fixit, and for the rest of this season, for that matter, the other Fletch should only play 6.

I think he’d benefit alot from some consistency.

It’s been a bit of a tough season for Fletchers and they both would benefit from week to week footy in a position.

Especially hard for Hunt as an unused sub some weeks. Can’t play Cup cause may be needed in FG. (Maybe that’s an area we should look at a bit more next season - especially if Winter becomes that backline replacement - maybe cycling him with Votano or whoever else steps up)

Maybe Winter gets a chance vs Warriors to stake his claim.

But so far, I think Hunt gets the initial centre role - or he signs elsewhere (zero tackle seems to suggest Hunt is free to negotiate November 1?).

And I agree Arthur seems like he’s missed his chance tbh. We look reasonably good with Crossland, Graham and Hagan.

 

[Seano]

I think he’d benefit alot from some consistency.

The point was that the greater need is Fletcher Sharpe getting consistency at 6 if we're talking about players who can cover multiple positions, particularly FB.

IDK if anyone else at the club is ready for FG and can cover if Ponga, in particular, goes down. Whereas we have a couple of options at centre/wing.