Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Cobarcats]

I just got back on, nothing but 🦗
Have we signed anyone yet, what's going on.
Where's Happy, he's supposed to be the horse whisperer, maybe he can be our recruitment whisperer.

 

[sleeve]

There is no way the club should feel confident of signing any top player and that is what Brown would be paid as. Let's wait and see what happens with Hastings. I think Brooks is going to Newcastle but there hasn't been anything official so who knows.

If Doueihi can get his game together he could be a weapon but this is already starting to sound a little like supporting Brooks.

Sheens has squashed the rumours of Brooks being released in 2023. He has said what all intelligent think, there is no one on the market, suitable. --- Zero tackle!

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

‘I want Luke here’: Why Sheens won’t let Brooks walk without a fight​

One of the last things Tim Sheens did before he was sacked by Wests Tigers a decade ago was convince a young Luke Brooks to commit to the club.

He never got the chance to work with him then, which is why Sheens is in no mood now to let him go to Newcastle.

Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien had the chance on Friday to shoot down speculation about Brooks joining the Knights for the 2023 season, but instead added to the intrigue when he said: “I’m not too sure ... when the list is finalised, I’ll coach that list”.
Sheens, though, was unequivocal. “I want Luke here,” he told The Sun-Herald. “It’s not our intention to release him, and there’s been no request from Newcastle. It’s been talked and talked and talked about.

“He’s due to turn up here on November 14, and I’m looking forward to working with him. Benji [Marshall] and I are looking forward to getting our hands on him.
“Right at the moment, there’s been no movement from the Knights and we’re moving forward with him as our halfback.

“He still has his legs, he has speed, he’s brave, and if you needed to find someone to replace him, you wouldn’t find that [an] easy task either.

“The last thing I did at the Tigers was to convince him, Mitchell Moses and James Tedesco to sign here. They were our next spine at the time. I never got the chance to work with Brooksy then. I’m looking forward to working with him now next year.”

Brooks is due to report for pre-season training on Monday week and is free to officially strike a deal elsewhere for 2024, now he is entering the final year of his Tigers contract.

The Knights were convinced they had secured Brooks for the start of last season. The fact the move never eventuated arguably left the Hunter club scrambling.

Sheens will not open negotiations with Brooks or Doueihi until the new year, even if it leaves them exposed to the advances of rivals.
The 72-year-old was relieved Doueihi pulled through the World Cup campaign uninjured after Lebanon’s campaign ended against Australia early Saturday. He will not resume training until the new year.

Sheens’ two-year tenure in charge started on Wednesday, alongside his 2025 successor Marshall.

While Sheens refused to discuss the pending arrival of English enforcer John Bateman – “I’ll only talk about the guys we’ve already got and signed” – he labelled Api Koroisau “the best advertisement for the club”, and someone who was already on the ground talking to prospective players.

Only the most rusted-on Tigers fan would dare to dream about a premiership in 2023. A finals berth will be the goal, but September football looks a more likely target the following year.
Sheens pointed out the club not once fielded a full-strength side last year, which included the trials. They lost nine games by 10 points or less, he said, which included eight games by eight points or fewer. Tommy Talau and Shawn Blore did not feature at all because of injury.

One player who did report for day one of pre-season training was Randwick rugby captain Ben Houston, a No.6 in rugby who “is big and rangy and a front-row proposition”, Sheens said. (SMH)

But but but he is gone and won’t be here next year.

 

[Camel2281]

13 games in the halves for 3 wins is hardly an achievement.
Anyway, not going to get into a slinging match as both sides of the Hastings ledger have good arguments. Enjoy your Saturday all!

He was miles better that Brooks

 

[vlad]

Sheens still making the Knights sweat on Brooks . How bad do they really want him …

 

[Camel2281]

Sheens has squashed the rumours of Brooks being released in 2023. He has said what all intelligent think, there is no one on the market, suitable. --- Zero tackle!

Who cares if there is no one else available. He's everything that's wrong with this club. Overpaid, Never accountable for poor performance, mopes around the field and doesn't do his job

 

[pawsandclaws1]

We havent won a game yet

We haven't played one yet with our new recruits!

 

[Telltails]

I almost feel sorry for Brooks. Finally takes the leap - assuming the links to Newcastle are true- and now Sheens won't let him go.
In for a hell of year if we find ourselves to be struggling again.

 

[Lauren]

I almost feel sorry for Brooks. Finally takes the leap - assuming the links to Newcastle are true- and now Sheens won't let him go.
In for a hell of year if we find ourselves to be struggling again.

I think Brooks deciding to go to the Knights, of all clubs, would be the most idiotic decision he could ever make.

 

[GCfan]

Who cares if there is no one else available. He's everything that's wrong with this club. Overpaid, Never accountable for poor performance, mopes around the field and doesn't do his job

Based on those criteria we couldn’t field a side each week

 

[Scare]

I think Brooks deciding to go to the Knights, of all clubs, would be the most idiotic decision he could ever make.

He really needs to take a “pay cut” and get in a system like the panthers roosters or storm to really hit his potential, knights is career suicide along with the titans. How ever he has survived the tigers so far haha

 

[Harvey]

Exactly. Brooks and Liddle actively tanked that day to try and get Madge sacked

They just had to wait for Tim to get here. He wanted the head job.

 

[Newtown]

Who cares if there is no one else available. He's everything that's wrong with this club. Overpaid, Never accountable for poor performance, mopes around the field and doesn't do his job

I don't think he is being paid anywhere as much as you think he is.

 

[Newtown]

Exactly. Brooks and Liddle actively tanked that day to try and get Madge sacked

Do really blame them?

 

[Telltails]

I think Brooks deciding to go to the Knights, of all clubs, would be the most idiotic decision he could ever make.

I dunno Lauren any more idiotic to stay here and carry the weight of a fan base sick of losing with him being at the top of the most responsible list for many - longest serving player to not play finals footy and all that other crap he cops
A change of scenery might at least give a new lease. Mentally if he is checked out and keen to play with Joey Johns not sure what Sheens will offer when the familiarity of the place probably is what he needs to get away from.

 

[tony soprano]

I almost feel sorry for Brooks. Finally takes the leap - assuming the links to Newcastle are true- and now Sheens won't let him go.
In for a hell of year if we find ourselves to be struggling again.

Would agree, but that would be jumping from one basket case to another.

 

[tony soprano]

I think Brooks deciding to go to the Knights, of all clubs, would be the most idiotic decision he could ever make.

💯

 

[Stevec]

I'm sure if Newcastle really want Brooks and they are prepared to pick up his entire contracted 2023 salary rumoured to be $1.1 mill ( its a backended amount and I believe it at least to be fairly accurate) .Then I'm sure we would release but Knights won't pay it and why should we subsidise it . Conversely Brooks could agree to forfeiting part of it if he's that keen to go .

 

[Odessa]

They just had to wait for Tim to get here. He wanted the head job.

Doesn't everyone 😛😜

 

[Odessa]

Sheens still making the Knights sweat on Brooks . How bad do they really want him …

O'Brien sounds like if he doesn't get Brooks his coaching career is over he is so desperate he will bite Sheenius Just has to hang in there to get the right Price maybe 900K of the contract paid for if Brooks doesn't want to be here he won't

And I was told before that Brooks doesn't like Benji so see what happens