The pre-season 2026 thread

Owey said:
You have a preference for Smith that is clearly expressed. That's one thing. The messiah comment came from reading those who are giving up on Holbrook if he decides to go with Sharpe in the halves. I've been quiet comment wise for months listening to the same voices go on and on like they know better then the guys who are at training day in and day out. Comments like "it is plain to see" who should play half and "Holbrook is another AOB if he goes with Sharpe". What absolute BS. Are young players suddenly incapable of developing? Who is really impressing at training? I really, really hope Smith is an out and out success here and as I said I have a lot more hope then last year. It is good to have exciting depth. We lost three key attacking players last year in Ponga. Sharpe and Lucas and had nothing left in attack. If those three are out this year we will still have a functioning team. But I am also aware that Trent Robinson wasn't sold on the idea that he could get more out of Smith. Not that I'm a massive fan of his. It doesn't surprise me that he believes he needs DCE instead of being able to develop Hugo or Smith in to an nrl half when I see the finished product Mitch Pearce was given the tools he started with.
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Perfect response.

The professional critiques here and content creators who believe they are expert commentators about what a brand new coaching staff should do before a ball is kicked is blood churning.
 
Has the coaching staff publicly stated they want a Sharpe/Brown halves combo since training began? I don't think so.

So far all evidence is that Holbrook favours a Brown / Smith halves combination.

There's also some evidence that Holbrook wants Sharpe in the spine in some capacity.

As it stands, I don't disagree with Holbrook.

If Holbrook starts the year with Sharpe/Brown as starting halves, I'd be absolutely shocked for the same reason that I seriously doubt it'll happen, because it's very clearly a **** idea - Brown should never be a leading / organising half, it isn't part of his game and I'm confident Holbrook is fully aware of this

We just spent 6 seasons trying to operate on mindless systems with reserve grade organising halves and it failed miserably for the same reason that the Roosters have brought in DCE - game management in the halves is an essential skill that cannot be effectively replaced by systems, neither can you develop it in a player during the off season
 
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Owey said:
You have a preference for Smith that is clearly expressed. That's one thing. The messiah comment came from reading those who are giving up on Holbrook if he decides to go with Sharpe in the halves. I've been quiet comment wise for months listening to the same voices go on and on like they know better then the guys who are at training day in and day out. Comments like "it is plain to see" who should play half and "Holbrook is another AOB if he goes with Sharpe". What absolute BS. Are young players suddenly incapable of developing? Who is really impressing at training? I really, really hope Smith is an out and out success here and as I said I have a lot more hope then last year. It is good to have exciting depth. We lost three key attacking players last year in Ponga. Sharpe and Lucas and had nothing left in attack. If those three are out this year we will still have a functioning team. But I am also aware that Trent Robinson wasn't sold on the idea that he could get more out of Smith. Not that I'm a massive fan of his. It doesn't surprise me that he believes he needs DCE instead of being able to develop Hugo or Smith in to an nrl half when I see the finished product Mitch Pearce was given the tools he started with.
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Love this... 100% agree
 
Les Misérables said:
Has the coaching staff publicly stated they want a Sharpe/Brown halves combo since training began? I don't think so.

So far all evidence is that Holbrook favours a Brown / Smith halves combination.

There's also some evidence that Holbrook wants Sharpe in the spine in some capacity.

As it stands, I don't disagree with Holbrook.

If Holbrook starts the year with Sharpe/Brown as starting halves, I'd be absolutely shocked for the same reason that I seriously doubt it'll happen, because it's very clearly a **** idea - Brown should never be a leading / organising half, it isn't part of his game and I'm confident Holbrook is fully aware of this

We just spent 6 seasons trying to operate on mindless systems with reserve grade organising halves and it failed miserably for the same reason that the Roosters have brought in DCE - game management in the halves is an essential skill that cannot be effectively replaced by systems, neither can you develop it in a player during the off season
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Sharpe has shown signs of game management skills and vocality. If someone has it in their character it can 100% be grown and nurtured to becoming greater same as pretty much absolutely anything else in life. Sharpe is still very young.
 
BTP said:
Perfect response.

The professional critiques here and content creators who believe they are expert commentators about what a brand new coaching staff should do before a ball is kicked is blood churning.
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Blood… churning? Might want to see your doctor about that.

Die Hard said:
Sharpe has shown signs of game management skills and vocality. If someone has it in their character it can 100% be grown and nurtured to becoming greater same as pretty much absolutely anything else in life. Sharpe is still very young.
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What “game management” skills did he show signs of? Or anyone else in the team for that that matter? Don’t recall a lot of management of games in 2026. I recall the other team managing us a lot.
 
Brad tighe said:
The club has prepared for the fact Ponga is probably going by signing Mathew hunter and a number of great young prospects. Seve might end up a fullback you never know.
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You say that like Sharpe wouldn’t be the prohibitive favourite to play there if Ponga left… surely it would be Fletch, right?
 
Owey said:
You have a preference for Smith that is clearly expressed. That's one thing. The messiah comment came from reading those who are giving up on Holbrook if he decides to go with Sharpe in the halves. I've been quiet comment wise for months listening to the same voices go on and on like they know better then the guys who are at training day in and day out. Comments like "it is plain to see" who should play half and "Holbrook is another AOB if he goes with Sharpe". What absolute BS. Are young players suddenly incapable of developing? Who is really impressing at training? I really, really hope Smith is an out and out success here and as I said I have a lot more hope then last year. It is good to have exciting depth. We lost three key attacking players last year in Ponga. Sharpe and Lucas and had nothing left in attack. If those three are out this year we will still have a functioning team. But I am also aware that Trent Robinson wasn't sold on the idea that he could get more out of Smith. Not that I'm a massive fan of his. It doesn't surprise me that he believes he needs DCE instead of being able to develop Hugo or Smith in to an nrl half when I see the finished product Mitch Pearce was given the tools he started with.
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All I can say to this is that training and games are different. The reason Souths didn’t fight hard to keep Adam Reynolds is because of their two years of watching Ilias at training in the lead up to that decision (he barely played actual games due to injuries + COVID). On the training paddock he looks like a stud, apparently.

The real test with Fletcher is what it looks like in games and it’s going around in circles at this point to go over it again, you know my thoughts on how he went.

The other piece of this, we agree on: Kalyn the “hybrid half” key playmaker setting up his halves. It did not look good in games. I’d imagine it probably looked really good in training though?
 
Die Hard said:
Sharpe has shown signs of game management skills and vocality. If someone has it in their character it can 100% be grown and nurtured to becoming greater same as pretty much absolutely anything else in life. Sharpe is still very young.
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Hey I agree, but you've said it yourself:

* He's young
* He can be
* He's shown signs

These are the makings of a maybe. Now I'm not suggesting we don't try it. I'm simply saying that it seems a little wild and unlikely that Sharpe would outplay Brown at 6, and in turn that Brown would outplay Smith at 7. Why is this controversial, Im genuinely a little confused at where the disagreement is?

Sharpe isn't a Lockyer or a Munster style of fullback. They are ball players who also happen to be great running the ball. Sharpe is more of a Tedesco or a Slater, and even then, I would suggest they were both more skilful with the ball in hand at the same age. Lets say they are equivalent in skillset, there's a reason that the Tedesco's and the Slaters of the world don't convert to 6 - because it isnt the best use of their naturally inclined skillset.

Moving Sharpe to 6 would be pushing **** up a hill compared to playing him at fullback.
 
I honestly have a feeling this is all scuttlebutt keep people talking, they’ll throw a few halves combinations out in the trials out of necessity
 
It is pretty funny that some of the same voices who were adamant Holbrook was the no-brainer pick a few months ago are already sharpening their pitchforks a month before the first trial. Personally I would be leaning towards putting him on the wing to start but I can understand why that might be viewed as a waste of his ability. Good things happen when he’s around the ball.

Holbrook might also just see a young player who is electric as a runner and support player and if nothing else physically handled a move into the halves without issue, and back his own ability as a coach to develop that further more than you do. Holbrook might also just have more faith in Brown as a lead playmaker than you do. Holbrook might also just have less faith in the guy who was slated to be the 4th string hooker/half at the club they were both at before he was shown the door than you do.
 
I wouldn’t be surprised if Holbrook was signed on the proviso that Sandon would come along, he’d spoken pretty highly about him and had started the season off for the rooters pretty well until walker came back
 
mullenmagic said:
It is pretty funny that some of the same voices who were adamant Holbrook was the no-brainer pick a few months ago are already sharpening their pitchforks a month before the first trial. Personally I would be leaning towards putting him on the wing to start but I can understand why that might be viewed as a waste of his ability. Good things happen when he’s around the ball.

Holbrook might also just see a young player who is electric as a runner and support player and if nothing else physically handled a move into the halves without issue, and back his own ability as a coach to develop that further more than you do. Holbrook might also just have more faith in Brown as a lead playmaker than you do. Holbrook might also just have less faith in the guy who was slated to be the 4th string hooker/half at the club they were both at before he was shown the door than you do.
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Im not nervous at all about Holbrook. And I'm very confident it'll be Brown at 6 and Smith at 7 to start the year. Very confident.

Though, Holbrook does seem intent on broadcasting the fact that Sharpe 'isn't a winger', so I'm sure we'll see Sharpe much closer to the ball some way somehow, and that's very exciting.

If Sharpe happens to walk out at 6 and Brown at 7, I dont think itll last more than a few weeks at most. We'd look absolutely headless. But I genuinely doubt that'll happen.
 
I don’t know why he would be playing ducks and drakes with it tbh. He’s said Brown will be in the halves, Ponga at fullback, and Sharpe, Smith and Crossland will be competing for the other two spots, with whoever misses out in jersey 14. I don’t know why he’d ******** about that being his thought process atm. If your argument is it’s a vague “keep guys motivated” thing then no one should be guaranteed a spot including Kalyn and Dylan. There would be no reason to exclude them from the expectation that they compete for their spot.

Ponga 1, Brown 6/7, Smith at either 7/9/14, Sharpe at 6/14 and Crossland at 9/14 is where I think his head is honestly at right now.
 
If we work under the assumption that best player is selected in each position, don’t weaken one to strengthen another then it works out as:- all being fit of course.
1 Ponga, 6 Brown, 7 Smith, 9 Crossland, 14 Sharpe.
Only likely change I see to that is Sharpe to R/centre, Gags to R/wing, Young outside Best at L/wing.
Sharpe is too good to not be in top 13 and if Ponga is fit then we need to find a spot.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
All I can say to this is that training and games are different. The reason Souths didn’t fight hard to keep Adam Reynolds is because of their two years of watching Ilias at training in the lead up to that decision (he barely played actual games due to injuries + COVID). On the training paddock he looks like a stud, apparently.
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I read Reynolds book a month ago and the Souths just did not want to budge on that one year offer due to payouts from other guys. They claimed they were open to continuing to extend him at the expense of job security but he wasn’t a fan of that as he was playing fine footy (GF etc) and only still 30. Compared to someone who’s 3-4 years older. Which is fair.
Character wise he’s up there being a captain and all and Bennett thought highly of him so it’s no surprise once him and Bennett left the Souths fell apart eventually under rookie coach JD
 
Doesn’t contradict what I said does it? If they didn’t have that confidence in Ilias, Reyno would have been prioritised more. It would have made sense to keep him for a year if they could & it was cheap, ease Ilias in more and get him some more time in Cup rather than do a hard transition. But yeah they really thought they’d be fine with Ilias & that others were more irreplaceable than Reyno. Womp womp.
 
www.newcastleherald.com.au

Brown, Smith and Sharpe ... what about Gamble? How Knights playmaker might fit in

'He competes hard and he's going to fight his way in.'
www.newcastleherald.com.au www.newcastleherald.com.au

Article in the Herald this morning that is basically about the spine, but concentrates on the role of Gamble.
Quotes Holbrook as saying Gamble will just have to roll with the utility role, but also that he is a tough competitor who will force his way into the side. The article suggests lock forward, bench utility and "handy back-up half" as Gamble's options.
The article also says Smith has been training at halfback and hasn't done any training at hooker.
Sharpe has been training at fullback in the absence of Ponga, but Ponga will be at fullback by round 1.
Crossland has been training at hooker, but could move to lock.

In another part of the article it says Cogger and Gamble were told they could look elsewhere for 2026 and implies we'd release Gamble if he got an offer even now.
 
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