Just blow the cap on Ben barba and have done

Interesting thread on the VT that Knights have just signed an 18 year old fullback...... on 400k a year- wonder what Mamo would want, crazy money!!!

Yeah Kayln Ponga is supposed to be the next Billy Slater and certainly is better than anyone I've ever seen at 18 in terms of skill. However, that is ridiculous money to say the least for any player of that age. He will be earning more per year than proven test players Darius Boyd, Andrew Fifita and Sam Thaiday and many others - that is how highly rated he is.

He may end up turning out like Nathan Browns last "Next Billy Slater"

nrl teams can afford it.

kevin locke was on 250k at salford

i agree, bringing in those signings last season should help them bed in alot better and have a full pre season together, last season was abit of a whirlwind for them to come in to! expect big improvements from all and we have already seem glimpses from brierley, ikahihifo and symonds

and yes new coach, new conditioner ....very positive!

Wouldn't count on Mamo

Quote ="GIANT DAZ"Wouldn't count on Mamo'" Nathan Brown did an interview yesterday of which he said in 2018 they have a high class full back coming of which he means Kalyn Ponga but in the short term (2017) they have a few guys who can play there, none of which were Jake Mamo so hes definitely on the outer at the Knights. You would have thought if he was staying there he would have his name thrown in to say he was going to be their starting No1 last year. www.newcastleknights.com.au/news ... son_u.html

Quote ="GIANT DAZ"Wouldn't count on Mamo'" Nathan Brown did an interview yesterday of which he said in 2018 they have a high class full back coming of which he means Kalyn Ponga but in the short term (2017) they have a few guys who can play there, none of which were Jake Mamo so hes definitely on the outer at the Knights. You would have thought if he was staying there he would have his name thrown in to say he was going to be their starting No1 last year. www.newcastleknights.com.au/news ... son_u.html

suppose the broken ankle which sounded serious could have changed a few things and also wardle may have had a change of heart, you would have thought it had been sorted by now!

Quote ="GiantJake1988"Nathan Brown did an interview yesterday of which he said in 2018 they have a high class full back coming of which he means Kalyn Ponga but in the short term (2017) they have a few guys who can play there, none of which were Jake Mamo so hes definitely on the outer at the Knights. You would have thought if he was staying there he would have his name thrown in to say he was going to be their starting No1 last year. www.newcastleknights.com.au/news ... son_u.html'" I didn't say he was staying there, i said don't count on him coming here ...he may do eventually but at the moment he isn't.

Quote ="GiantJake1988"Nathan Brown did an interview yesterday of which he said in 2018 they have a high class full back coming of which he means Kalyn Ponga but in the short term (2017) they have a few guys who can play there, none of which were Jake Mamo so hes definitely on the outer at the Knights. You would have thought if he was staying there he would have his name thrown in to say he was going to be their starting No1 last year. www.newcastleknights.com.au/news ... son_u.html'" I didn't say he was staying there, i said don't count on him coming here ...he may do eventually but at the moment he isn't.

brough is fine no surgery needed

will hopefully be ready for the warrington warm up game which is on a weds evening week before our first sl game!

stone says he expects to announce a few thing shortly on the playing front but sounds like its been hard work and doesnt have much cap space to play with

When did stone say that brearley about the signings and brough?

In Daily Telegraph Australia is states Knights are keen to release Mamo to us and he wants to come but they want Wardle in exchange and we are wanting to keep Wardle as well so the deal hasn't been reached yet.

James Graham has asked for a release from his Canterbury contract and has not ruled out a return to superleague to finish his career. Could we pull it off ? One can wish.

Dream on

sounds like newcastle are playing hard ball with mamo

stone still hopeful the deal comes off though

As is potential line up and back up

Murphy
Jerry Leroy wardle ormsby
Brough brierley
Rapira hinchy smith
Taai Roberts
Bruno

Bench
Leeming clough mason seb

Back up
Prop....none rumours of an Aussie
Hooker...none....youth?
Second row..... fergy/Dickinson/England
...Sam wood/ Darnell/Gaskell
Wingers....Darnell
Full back....Simpson...rumours of mamo and my wish list Ben barber

Any more to add? We are very thin as is! Decent staring team that can cover in some areas but massive gaps in what we need

Dickinson and English are Props mate.

Id go

Gaskell
Mcgilvarry Cudjoe Wardle Murphy
Brough Brierley
Rapira Leeming Smith
Symonds Lawrence
Hinchliffe

Bench

Roberts
Mason
Ikahihifo (Is a 2nd rower but will HAVE to be used at prop)
Taai

I would move Hinchliffe to Hooker when Leeming goes off and we have some real impact off the bench.

Prop cover:
Paul Clough
Tyler Dickinson - who will be a direct replacement for Johnson...he is of similar height, weight & standard from what ive seen of him but might do better who knows.
Matty English - Not yet promoted to first team but may be. (Although shouldn't be no where near first team this year as way too young for a prop - only if extremely desperate. He should get a few games season after). He is a excellent prospect and best young front row prospect we have had for a while.

2nd row:
Ferguson(Great for back up and rotation),
Liam Johnson - hearing good things from him this pre season so may get a chance at some point.
Mikey Wood - Cant see him getting a game.

Centre:
Sam Wood - Will look to kick on from last season.
Jake Wardle - Excellent prospect.

Hooker: Henry Hall, the brother of F*** All. - URGENT NEED OF A SIGNING

Wing:
Mcintosh - Would prefer to see him in the side than Ormsby and given a chance.
Ormsby - Waste of money but ok for back up

Full Back:
Simpson - Hope i'm wrong but just cant see him cutting it with his size. URGENT NEED OF SIGNING.

If we can get Wakeman and Harrison (or someone else) in at prop it allows Ikahihifo to move back to 2nd row which makes our 2nd row extremely strong.

For me we then need a Full Back as priority along with a Hooker and then hopefully a winger. If Mamo comes it will allow Gaskell to go to centre if Wardle goes to bring Mamo in.

That allows Murphy to train as a direct centre replacement - I feel he is just too slow for the wing and have Ormsby and Mcintosh as direct Wing replacements.

So all in all id say we need 5 signings 2 props, full back, hooker & maybe a winger and we have a very good squad but at the moment we are struggling massively. The likely hood is we will get 2/3.

going to sit and see abit longer who comes in before trying to pick my first 17-19

You seem to be willing this to come off- a 22 year old inexperienced player well down the pecking order at his current club- who we would have to pay huge amounts of cash to and not able to play for the first couple of months. I'll pass thanks! May as well let mackintosh have a pop.

Props - Ifahihiko, Rapira, Smith, Mason, Clough
Back row - Taai Symonds, Bruno, Ferguson, Roberts
Hookers - Hinchciffe and Leeming
Halves - Brough, Brierley, Haskell
Backs - Leroy, Jerry, Murphy, Ormsby, Wardle

Looks a decent base to me, another prop and a hooker would be ideal in the forwards and a first choice fullback. There must be a good bit of cap available now.

If the squad looks the same in February then it is too thin, but lets see who Rick Stone brings in first.

https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&ver ... o&src=typd Newcastle papers seem convinced the Mamo - Wardle swap will happen over the next couple of weeks. Again we are losing an Experienced english player and we are filling up another quota spot. 1 quota spot left - it's hard to see where these English players are going to come from as there is none available - most squads have been announced.

https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&ver ... o&src=typd Newcastle papers seem convinced the Mamo - Wardle swap will happen over the next couple of weeks. Again we are losing an Experienced english player and we are filling up another quota spot. 1 quota spot left - it's hard to see where these English players are going to come from as there is none available - most squads have been announced.

Hope we are not losing an experienced international for an expensive 22 year old who can't TRAIN OR PLAY till at least APRIL!
By the time he's match fit we could be way down the table! Bonkers to start the season without one single established fullback.
Regardless of how well (or not) we do next season The start to this has been very badly managed IMO. We came bottom- some people are insisting that was due to lack of match fitness (I was blasted for suggesting this early on in the season) and confidence- well if players aren't involved in preseason they aren't going to be match fit- and I don't see how players being announced they are going after they've been involved in preseason is going to instil confidence in the rest.
A skinny squad - with little British top flight experience in reserve. Ryan Bailey being bandied about! We are going to have to pray we don't have any bad luck with injuries. If brough, Leroy and Jerry get injured.......

think mamo will only come if north queensland release ponga early for him to go to newcastle early, north queensland say ponga is going nowhere so as it stands mamo wont be coming which is a shame as stone has tried his best to get the lad in, might be too late to find a full back now for 2017

missed out on hardaker too, maybe pre season plans on the recruitment front arent going to plan at all for us!

Surely we will see some more signings soon? Giants renowned for playing their cards close to their chest and not announcing until 100% confirmed.
Whilst we defo need to add to the squad and late arrivals are far from ideal could this band us as underdogs and maybe work in our favour in terms of team bonding and desire? Last season expectations were high and for all the reasons we know and some we don't things fell apart right from the get go.
Perhaps Brough, Brierley and Fergie may bring some of the Scottish Braveheart mentality to our psych along with what appears from many comments and determination from last year's squad to avoid any repeat of the Middle 8?
Not all doom and gloom yet despite our skinny squad but will feel much better should a prop and full back be announced soon.
Plus of course we will hopefully see the influence of our new coach and conditioner and again the players seem to have bought into the new regime.
Most important will be a good start to the season to build confidence for all. My biggest fear is that we do not ever seem to truly understand this - last season away at Salford in the 8's being a classic example. Next season first away game at Widnes will be huge for us.

Yeah that's a massive game