Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

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BlackWhiteGold said:
Sounds like he's sees himself down the pecking order now but he is a western Sydney boy so maybe has an offer from somewhere else.

Personally I'd love him or the other Knights NSW Cup centre Kyle McCarthy to add depth & competition to the right centre & wing position.

Here's an excerpt from Barry Toohey's column yesterday (Newcastle journo) ...

Another obvious contender is 22-year-old NSW Cup centre Kyle McCarthy, who played six NRL games for the Knights in 2024 but hasn't been used since.

The uncertainty surrounding McCarthy is that his future is also clouded.

He has an option in his favour in his contract for next season to remain at the Knights. But he was told last year he is free to leave if he can find a better opportunity at a rival club and that situation has apparently not changed.

That suggests there is little chance of him being offered an extension beyond 2027 if he does opt to stay in Newcastle for a further 12 months.
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Are either of these 2 over 6 foot 2 and have speed to run out of sight ?
Would like to recruit some body types for specific positions instead of juniors that were world beaters when they were 15 years old.
Our 2 starting second rowers are a start.
Our centres and Wingers need looking at.
 
Wtiga said:
I think they’ll play AD there

Tbh this weekend id play Jarome at 7 and Latu at 6

Jarome at least talks and lets be honest his attack has been terrible so it’s probably better him getting his hands on the ball more
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I agree. Would definitely move Latu to 6 for his running game.
 
Thinking about our half’s does Latu Fainu have a kicking game ?
Especially long kicks ?
Not just grubbers into the in goal.
 
Oldman said:
Thinking about our half’s does Latu Fainu have a kicking game ?
Especially long kicks ?
Not just grubbers into the in goal.
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Latu's kicking game really started to improve last year. He was getting quite good purchase on the ball and impressed me with his distance.

He will end up with a nice kicking game, not elite, but at least as good as Doueihi and much better than Laui
 
I think we should target Katoa as our half. Western Sydney boy coming home. Currently available for 2028, can discuss Nov 1 this year. And then let Latu, Javon and Douhie fight it out for 5/8. Maybe we need to let Latu go to secure Katoa I.e. put Latu’s $500k towards Katoa. I would be happy to do this even though I am one of Latu’s biggest fans. We need a real first grade half back and Katoa would solve our problem.
 
Wiz said:
I think we should target Katoa as our half. Western Sydney boy coming home. Currently available for 2028, can discuss Nov 1 this year. And then let Latu, Javon and Douhie fight it out for 5/8. Maybe we need to let Latu go to secure Katoa I.e. put Latu’s $500k towards Katoa. I would be happy to do this even though I am one of Latu’s biggest fans. We need a real first grade half back and Katoa would solve our problem.
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There is no doubt he is a better player than Latu … he will also be much harder to acquire and more expensive…I would suggest Katoa will be wanted at just about every other club if he comes onto the market … and he will sign for in excess of $1m per year …

They will likely need to make a decision on resigning Latu and his brother before Katoa comes on the market ..
 
BlackWhiteGold said:
Sounds like he's sees himself down the pecking order now but he is a western Sydney boy so maybe has an offer from somewhere else.

Personally I'd love him or the other Knights NSW Cup centre Kyle McCarthy to add depth & competition to the right centre & wing position.

Here's an excerpt from Barry Toohey's column yesterday (Newcastle journo) ...

Another obvious contender is 22-year-old NSW Cup centre Kyle McCarthy, who played six NRL games for the Knights in 2024 but hasn't been used since.

The uncertainty surrounding McCarthy is that his future is also clouded.

He has an option in his favour in his contract for next season to remain at the Knights. But he was told last year he is free to leave if he can find a better opportunity at a rival club and that situation has apparently not changed.

That suggests there is little chance of him being offered an extension beyond 2027 if he does opt to stay in Newcastle for a further 12 months.
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Very good player yes needs to work on his defense but we have a few in our side that have tackling issues. But he is quick.
 
Tom Shines said:
There is no doubt he is a better player than Latu … he will also be much harder to acquire and more expensive…I would suggest Katoa will be wanted at just about every other club if he comes onto the market … and he will sign for in excess of $1m per year …

They will likely need to make a decision on resigning Latu and his brother before Katoa comes on the market ..
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What about Conti??
 
Blooey said:
Did he actually say that? lol.
He didn't leave because he didn't want to play lock, he left because Batemans one condition to come here was get rid of Hastings.

Not saying he was a superstar, but our team at the time was terrible. I think he was the only one putting in 100% effort and trying to uphold some sort of standards.
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Hastings was going anyway cus Sheens told him he would play lock, remember he did that article saying you need speed in the halves and Jackson is slow as a cement truck
 
Wtiga said:
Agree

Latu is a 6.

He has no voice on the field and is more threatening two wide of the ruck

Plus he’s played junior footy there and said it’s his preferred

He’d make a gun 6!

Better than Jarome right now
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What makes you say he has no voice? Watching him play live he looks very vocal to me
 
Tigerstigerstigers said:
But Douehi clearly is,
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We do not have a good NR7 answer at the moment.
It is "look at other options", not AD, not Madden.

That said, it's not Luai.
AD/Luai have more command then Madden. However neither is able to steer and both have a weak kicking game.
Madden can kick and direct the team. But he has defensive issues and I think may be getting out of breath.

What we have seen from Madden is a player who's best position is NR7 and we see what we have been missing there! With Luai going we can

Another odd thought:
Brooks was a passive personality. I have no idea why he was put at halfback, but he isn't the guy to guide your team around the field.
Luai too isn't a dominant voice on the field. He can push people harder, he can be halfback sometimes... But hasn't been that consistently.
AD to me seems more involved. If there is an absence of direction, he will take the lead.

Maybe the reason why Brooks/AD never worked is the personality mismatch.

So if were looking for a halfback:
Probably NOT a Junior. Get an experienced player.
A player who would be able to tell AD, Taylan May and others where to go and stand.
..
Then comes the rest of good kicker + organiser + ball skills + defense.

TLDR: were going to either have to be really lucky OR spend up BIG on whomever we sign.
 
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