Who should be number 7 for next season?

Probably going to get crucified but if nothing more suitable comes available I think Gamble or Trindall should be considered. Couldn’t be any worse than what we fielded this season and both want FG time so could get them at a decent price
 
Don’t think you’ll get crucified mate. Gamble wants an opportunity, he’s allowed to go, I think the club can and should pick him up. Trindall seems happy to hang around at Cronulla. Moylan gets injured all the time and only has two years left in his career most likely so it’s not the worst decision on his part. Stay and keep learning under a good coach.
 
KnightsUnite said:
He can't even get a halves role at the Tigers...

He won't win you a comp, some games yes but not a comp.

Want a half to win a comp

Moses
Munster

Honestly thats about it in this competition not many decent halves around.
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This club needs to offer Munster $1.4m p.a. for 5 seasons.

Yea, it's probably 200-300k overs. So what, sacrifice a quality player elsewhere and use youngsters. Why this type of 'gamble' isn't being attempted is beyond me, we have nowhere else to turn and no other short-medium term solutions. If we miss out on a quality half now then we'll be without a quality half for at least the next two seasons. Wtf is the club hoping will happen?
 
How do any of you know what the club is doing as far as recruitment goes , if there is somewhere on line that says who the club is after who they are talking too how much they are prepared to pay for certain players . Please tell me because i cant find anything .
I would love for them to be after Munster but going by the comments on here the club wouldn't be interested in him or even be bothered to try ... What i want to know is how they know this or even how they know who we've contacted or talking to.
I'm a bit computer illiterate (2 finger typer ) so help finding these places would be appreciated .
 
Les Misérables said:
This club needs to offer Munster $1.4m p.a. for 5 seasons.

Yea, it's probably 200-300k overs. So what, sacrifice a quality player elsewhere and use youngsters. Why this type of 'gamble' isn't being attempted is beyond me, we have nowhere else to turn and no other short-medium term solutions. If we miss out on a quality half now then we'll be without a quality half for at least the next two seasons. Wtf is the club hoping will happen?
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He’ll get a bigger offer from The Dolphins.
 
Ethan said:
How do any of you know what the club is doing as far as recruitment goes , if there is somewhere on line that says who the club is after who they are talking too how much they are prepared to pay for certain players . Please tell me because i cant find anything .
I would love for them to be after Munster but going by the comments on here the club wouldn't be interested in him or even be bothered to try ... What i want to know is how they know this or even how they know who we've contacted or talking to.
I'm a bit computer illiterate (2 finger typer ) so help finding these places would be appreciated .
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Mostly just rumours mate:

- Barry Toohey has indicated repeatedly that internally, the Knights still want to get Luke Brooks for next year. So much smoke around this: allegedly he asked for a release twice in the last offseason; he has all but explicitly declared he is not going to extend his contract at Wests; every talking head in the NRL has stated at some stage that he needs to get out of Wests (including future Wests coach Benji Marshall) and the most obvious candidate is the club with the better forward pack and absolutely nothing for halves up the M1; he’s repeatedly stated Joey was his hero growing up and this would be his chance to work with him.
- Reported in the Murdoch press that the Knights have internally talked to KP, and he’s agreed that for the benefit of the team he should play closer to the ball in the halves - because it’s easier to find a good fullback than good half. Been reported Reuben Garrick is the target (and Manly *might* be willing to let him go early for an opportunity). Not allowed to formally approach him till November 1 but clubs do all sorts of **** to sound each other out. For me the rumour is plausible because it was reported by Buzz Rothfield initially - yes, he’s a drunken lout, but we’ve leaked to him before, and he’s actually mates with Adam O’Brien I believe.
- The Tyson Gamble one is a simple one - Kevin Walters has explicitly said he’s been granted permission to negotiate with rival clubs, because he wants the chance to fight for a starting jersey and he’s not going to get it over Reynolds or Mam.
- Toohey has said the club *is* interested in Munster. Personally I think it’s a waste of time. You need to get to a level of respectability first before the biggest stars will look your way.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
He’ll get a bigger offer from The Dolphins.
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If nothing else, by competing for munster who admittedly is 0.00034% chance of absolutely ever joining the knights, we would push up his contract amount. Meaning the club that signs him (i.e.; storm or dolphins) would have less salary cap left. Reverse logic and the knights win; well in some losing format.
 
Toohey re-affirming that the club wants Brooks. Putting Ponga in the halves and getting the replacement fullback is the desperation move if that falls through again.

I did rather think the Brooks thing would be he’d get a release for next year, Tigers would chip in $4-500K, and then he’d take a punt on himself earning a big deal with us.

But if they really want to get it done quickly and they believe in him, yeah after Nov 1 he’s probably signed to something like 2 years, $5-600K/season for 2024-25, and then the Tigers let him go for 2023 as well in the knowledge that he’s gone anyway and they’re better off thinking about the future.

The worst part is that Brooks/Gamble is a big upgrade on Clune/Clifford. It really is. But it’s not gonna get us to where we need to be, I don’t think.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Toohey re-affirming that the club wants Brooks. Putting Ponga in the halves and getting the replacement fullback is the desperation move if that falls through again.

I did rather think the Brooks thing would be he’d get a release for next year, Tigers would chip in $4-500K, and then he’d take a punt on himself earning a big deal with us.

But if they really want to get it done quickly and they believe in him, yeah after Nov 1 he’s probably signed to something like 2 years, $5-600K/season for 2024-25, and then the Tigers let him go for 2023 as well in the knowledge that he’s gone anyway and they’re better off thinking about the future.

The worst part is that Brooks/Gamble is a big upgrade on Clune/Clifford. It really is. But it’s not gonna get us to where we need to be, I don’t think.
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Don’t think we should dis Munster coming so much. Pearce and Klemmer came when we had 2-3 wooden spoons under our belt and a terrible roster. So it’s achievable.

If we get Brooke’s and Gamble it gives us depth as well. Which we desperately need. Clifford should still try and stay and push. Can’t leave when it gets hard. But club might be needing more room in roster.
 
Looks like our preferred spine for next year is:

1.Ponga
6.Gamble
7.Brooks
9.Brailey

I hope it gets the ball zinging to where it needs to be. No square pegs I guess. And I guess that leaves Ponga kicking goals? What does everyone think?
 
BTP said:
Don’t think we should dis Munster coming so much. Pearce and Klemmer came when we had 2-3 wooden spoons under our belt and a terrible roster. So it’s achievable.

If we get Brooke’s and Gamble it gives us depth as well. Which we desperately need. Clifford should still try and stay and push. Can’t leave when it gets hard. But club might be needing more room in roster.
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I think the difference there is that Klemmer was leaving a club which was going to absolute **** and just wanted out, and at any rate a top-tier prop just isn’t as big of a marquee signing as a top-tier half or fullback - far more common for weaker clubs to pick up incumbent rep forwards (see also: Papali’i going to the Tigers). If you’re a forward there’s a bit more of a take less money to win/take as much money as possible and go wherever binary at play.

We got Pearce because the Roosters replaced him with one of the all-time great halfbacks, and he was hungry to prove himself (and, again, take as much money as he could get lol).

For me Munster is on another level as a signing - he’s Cronk tier, Tedesco tier, Latrell Mitchell. Frizell/Klemmer/Pearce/Gagai are a bit below that level.
 
Owey said:
Looks like our preferred spine for next year is:

1.Ponga
6.Gamble
7.Brooks
9.Brailey

I hope it gets the ball zinging to where it needs to be. No square pegs I guess. And I guess that leaves Ponga kicking goals? What does everyone think?
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It’s an improvement. Puts us right in the hunt for 9th. 😂
 
I will add. If we get Brooke’s and Gamble. Next move is to focus attention on finding a talent young half who shows great potential in game management. Needs to be the biggest effort by club in next few years.
 
Brooks:
- A lot more individual attacking threat than Clune, defence can’t load up on Ponga as much. Brooks was hailed as the second coming of Joey for a reason, huge, huge talent. Talent has never been his problem.
- Can’t ever doubt his effort (no way does he dish up the kind of *****made play we’ve seen from Doueihi lately, who’s kicking stones cos he didn’t get loaned out to Melbourne), has always tried hard on both sides of the ball despite being surrounded by trash.
- Makes those “Luke Brooks errors” we see memed so much, needs a strong voice out there to help with game management & a calm head when the game is on the line.

Gamble:
- Right-side dominant player who’s one of the better defensive halves in the comp just cos he’s big and strong and talks a lot. Good fit for us given we have the worst right side defence in the comp.
- Actually surprisingly competent as a game manager for a guy who looks like a park footballer - kicks to corners, rarely makes errors, plays within himself, usually picks the right pass, and clearly very vocal on field (watch him play with Milford & Mam - Gamble is the loud organising voice out there, taking pressure off the other guy).
- We have a very talented young five-eighth coming in who prefers to play on the right in Pryce - Gamble will fight like a dog for a jersey and make him earn it.
- The definition of “nothing special” as a player unless you really like PASHUN.

Ponga:
- Whatever else anyone on here might say about him, very much the guy who has been the difference in tight games, and the calm head for big moments which Brooks has struggled to be.

I predict that we can reverse some of our frustrating losses against poor-to-middling teams with these three fit, it should work better than what we had this year, but will still look off the pace when we come up against the big boys. But getting a bit of respectability back is the first step.
 
I'd go as far to suggest that if we get Gamble and he had zero try assists all year, we would still be much more competitive just through his defensive capabilities. I'm sure he will.bring more then just that though.
 
1.Ponga
6.Gamble ...Haven't seen him play so cant comment
7.Brooks
9.Brailey
If 1, 7 and 9 play to there potential and Gamble is an upgrade as well then that spine could be a good one , don't forget Brooks was touted as the next A Johns because of his skill set . You dont lose those skills geez im 63 and can still kick a ball accurately i can still throw a straight spiral pass and when i tackle the wife i hit her just above the hips lift and drive lol.
 
Owey said:
I'd go as far to suggest that if we get Gamble and he had zero try assists all year, we would still be much more competitive just through his defensive capabilities. I'm sure he will.bring more then just that though.
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He’s a weird case in that if you compared Clune & Gamble at reserve grade level, you’d assume Clune is the better player. But at NRL level I don’t think he is at all.

But rugby league is very weird, sometimes the stuff which dominates at the lower level doesn’t translate when they make the step up.

Clune seems to feast on disorganised NSW Cup defences, but he’s really struggled when pressured at NRL level. Thrown the odd cut out to guys who were flat footed when it wasn’t on etc etc etc. He’s recorded good try assist stats etc but maybe half of them were in that game against the Titans where they folded like a pair of twos and let us run into space with comical ease.

Gamble digs into the line harder and plays over the ad line more, and hard contact from defenders doesn’t worry him - he seems to thrive on it in fact. He’s not carving at either level but he’s contributed to winning football at both.
 
Clune highlights:


Lots of instances of him doing the same thing - angled run, playing short to the back rower running a straight like or back in towards the post, or throwing the cut out over defenders who didn’t number up correctly or failed to keep their width when they should have.

Gamble:


A bit more variety in what he’s doing rather than looking for the same pet plays, looks to play a bit more direct. That early short kick he likes to go for might be an asset given how often defences rush up on us and we don’t really do much to dissuade them.
 
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