Toohey's News

Only justification to not keep Bailey is if you think the next long-term injury is literally just around the corner. I’m not privy to what the medical staff knows but I guess it’s concerning that I’ve never seen him not wearing some sort of protective/compression bandage over a key joint.

I’m bigger on Pryce as a fullback than as a half from what I’ve seen - he has a touch of the Jake Cliffords at 6 where you just don’t notice him sometimes, he’s sort of just standing in his spot on the field waiting for the ball to come his way, and he’ll get it flat footed without a plan for what to do with it sometimes, whereas at 1 he’s forced to be more involved, and he’s a natural out the back of shape or playing off the cuff in broken play. I guess if I was going to pick between Pryce and Bailey I’d pick Pryce, the fact he’s never had even a moderately bad injury from what I’ve seen and heard is a huge point in his favour (plus his dad was durable enough to play over 500 games whereas Bailey shares a lot of genes with his frequently injured uncle).

Also so far dropping Miller looks almost inconceivable (and compared to other fullbacks he probably costs a pittance) and Bailey can’t play another position in the NRL IMO, whereas Pryce is also a 6 and could probably play centre.

So I get it - but gee I really do see something with Bailey. So busy, so quick off the mark, so strong. Personally I’d be declining to offer Clune a new contract and keeping Bailey. Who knows, maybe he’d stay at the club without a top 30 deal - but I would guess that he’d want to go somewhere where he’s a better chance of getting a run at 1. Unfortunately that’s the deepest position in the NRL, really only Wests and Canberra (really don’t rate Savage) would make sense as destinations for him. Maybe Canterbury too but they seem locked in to Crichton.
 
I tell ya ... I'd love to see Hodgson tried at 14. I reckon he could cause chaos coming off the bench.
 
Did we all not see his form in the trials? Pretty woeful. I know it was his first games back. But I’m not sure he is FG standard.
 
25/3
Says Peter Parr thinks Ponga will be back playing soon and doesn't expect the scans he is having to be "career defining".
says Tyson Gamble has impressed and puts the good form of Gagai and Best down to "getting early ball" with Gamble at 5/8.
Says Bailey Hodgson had his best game yet in the win over Dragons in reserves but will struggle to earn a new contract with the form of Miller, Davie Armstrong, Fletcher Sharpe, Connor Votano and Will Pryce on his way.
Says that Adam O'Brien was more "hands on" with the fitness programme in the pre season after Knowles didn't work out, but Matthew Jay is now the fitness guy.
Speculates that Cant, Lucas and Rivett going well in their debuts might make O'Brien less conservative and he might give a few more lower graders a chance.
So he actually said Hodgson will struggle to earn a new contract? Wow. Fair call but surprised he said that publicly.
 
So he actually said Hodgson will struggle to earn a new contract? Wow. Fair call but surprised he said that publicly.
Well his actual words were "faces an uphill battle" which I suppose is slightly less pessimistic than "will struggle"
 
Did we all not see his form in the trials? Pretty woeful. I know it was his first games back. But I’m not sure he is FG standard.
19, First game back from a long term injury and had a bad game in the first trial. Good players can have absolute shockers (DOM YOUNG) but he had some great touches in that first game too. Second trial didnt get much of a go with other first graders so dont really include it
 
Well his actual words were "faces an uphill battle" which I suppose is slightly less pessimistic than "will struggle"
Pretty poor choice of words to go public with. I wouldn't be happy if I was the player, better said in private as all it's going to do is erode the confidence of the player and have agents circling again
 
Pretty poor choice of words to go public with. I wouldn't be happy if I was the player, better said in private as all it's going to do is erode the confidence of the player and have agents circling again
I disagree.
If I were a friend of Hodgson I'd be telling him to start looking for a new club - the sooner he starts looking the better deal he'll get.
 
Hodgson has to unseat Miller to be a strong chance of staying. Hope he plays strong and injury free so if not us then another club sign him, we appear strong in f/b with a young group and we still have Ponga who if continues could be 5/8 or f/b
 
So he actually said Hodgson will struggle to earn a new contract? Wow. Fair call but surprised he said that publicly.
He's not wrong though. I really hope Hodgo has an injury free year, however we need to have a line of sight for the likes of Sharp and Votano. Otherwise we lose them. Moving him positions doesnt bode well for future as it blocks the likes of Ferguson/Lucas. I think he'll have a strong career, but his injuries and COVID have really set him back whilst others have excelled.
 
Did we all not see his form in the trials? Pretty woeful. I know it was his first games back. But I’m not sure he is FG standard.
He isn’t and a stiff breeze knocks him over.
People say give him a chance we’ll what’s he done to deserve one? Waste of a top 30 spot.
 
Pretty poor choice of words to go public with. I wouldn't be happy if I was the player, better said in private as all it's going to do is erode the confidence of the player and have agents circling again
Wait was it Parr that said this, or was it Toohey the one saying it in his article?
 
1/4
Good form has bought O'Brien a bit of breathing space.
Toohey puts the good form down to O'Brien's "old school approach to battle hardening the playing group" during the pre-season, and the injection of competitors like Hastings and Gamble.

Says Zammit is a loss and that he was good friends with O'Brien. Says Zammit and O'Brien played together and that it was O'Brien influence that got Zammit to walk away from a contract upgrade at the Cowboys to take on the job at the Knights. Also says Zammit leaves our roster in better shape than he found it.

Says the Knights have turned over 60 football department staff since Nathan Brown started, which is over 7 staff per year.

Says the Knights had asked for a loan deal for 20 year old Warriors prop Zyon Maiu'u who is on a development deal at the Warriors and would have got a top 30 spot at the Knights, but Warriors won't release him.
 

Just numbers in a vacuum, but for a 20 year old that’s pretty good.
 
Have to assume signing/borrowing a player or two is unlikely for this season so why not fill it with best options from Cup side. Talty is an obvious and a hooker would be good even if just for this season
 
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