It may be out of sheer necessity [or more likely desperation] but it seems the stars are aligning for the Knights to have another crack at signing much-maligned Wests Tigers playmaker Luke Brooks for next season.
Brooks is rumoured to be getting ready to be dumped to NSW Cup next week and his future at the Tigers next season is likely to hinge on whether their in-coming coach wants to keep him on the books in 2023 at $1.1 million.
Given his form, it seems unlikely. A better bet would be the Tigers off-loading him, even if it means paying a rival club a huge amount to take him off their hands.
Enter the Knights, who wanted Brooks before a ball was kicked this season as Mitchell Pearce's replacement but never got past first base after the Tigers halfback's pleas for a release were denied. At the end of the season, it may be a different story.
If you're the Knights, how much of his $1.1 million salary would you pay to get Brooks to Newcastle.....$500,000...$600,000...less than that....more?
The fact Knights coaching consultant Andrew Johns went public this week for a second time, urging the Tigers to cut Brooks loose for the good of both club and player, is a sure sign Newcastle is still keen on him.
Johns has rated him all his career and it's pretty obvious he wants to get his hands on the halfback and challenge himself to finally unlock Brooks' potential.
It would be a gamble, yes, but the simple fact is beggars can't be choosers. For next year, there is no-one else out there and the Knights need someone.
The likes of Cameron Munster, Mitch Moses, Dylan Brown and Matt Burton are all potential targets for 2024 but if you're coach Adam O'Brien, can you afford to wait that long? If the club remains in its current position and nothing changes by this time next year, he will likely be in the unemployment queue well before his contract expires.
First things first, the Tigers have a decision to make. I'll bet no club will be following what they decide more closely than the Knights.
A tough watch
Jonah Pezet's starring role for the NSW Blues in their big win over the Maroons in the Origin Under 19's clash on Thursday night would have been watched through gritted teeth by the Knights heirachy and the club's fans.
A Knights junior, Pezet was being groomed as Mitchell Pearce's long-term replacement before his father Troy lost his job as recruitment boss in controversial circumstances a short time after ex-coach Nathan Brown exited the club at the back-end of 2019.
Pezet jnr followed his dad out the door despite still being under contract and duly signed with Melbourne. As we now know, there was no back-up plan.
Still on the Under 19's game and in a positive, the Knights four representatives, Paul Bryan and Edward Hampton [Qld] and Oryn Keeley and Max Bradbury [NSW], all played strongly.
Horror run
Luckless Knights rookie Bailey Hodgson must be wondering when his wretched run of bad luck will end.
The young English fullback underwent surgery during the week to have plates inserted in his elbow after breaking it for a second time this season. In a shattering blow, he will miss the rest of the season.
He first fractured the elbow in a pre-season game against the Bulldogs and had only been back for a few games in NSW Cup.
On the move?
Young prop Pasami Saulo seems likely to be the next current player to leave the Knights with his management shopping him around to rival clubs.
Already, the Eels have signed young forward Jirah Momoisea, Jessie Sue is headed to Hull KR in England and Tex Hoy is in the sights of Hull, with suggestions they are even keen to take him straight away.
While it's understood the Knights haven't completely shut the door on Saulo, those close to the prop believe he may get a better opportunity to play NRL at a rival club.
Robbie O scathing on Ponga
Newcastle Knights' greatest fullback Robbie O'Davis couldn't contain his frustration after Kalyn Ponga was caught badly out of position for Canberra's last-ditch match-winning try last Sunday.
Robbie O didn't hold back, posting on his social media account after the Knights defeat:
'Not that i bloody know anything, but will someone please tell our fullback to not defend on the frontline, we give away 1-2 tries a week because the fullback is up in the defensive line, not at the back, if they kick it through, he supposed to be there, why am i the only one that see's this every week'.
Baz's Best
Runaway leader David Klemmer and chief chaser Dom Young narrowly failed to poll points with Mitch Barnett and Kalyn Ponga climbing to grab a share of third alongside Tyson Frizell in Baz's Best player of the year standings after the Knights' heartbreaking last ditch loss to the Raiders last weekend.
Rd 15: Knights v Raiders
3 Mitch Barnett 2 Kurt Mann 1 Kalyn Ponga
Progress points: 15 David Klemmer 10 Dom Young 7 Tyson Frizell, Mitchell Barnett, Kalyn Ponga. Kurt Mann 5 Chris Randall 4 Dane Gagai, Jake Clifford 3 Anthony Milford 2 Tex Hoy, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Enari Tuala, Edrick Lee 1 Bradman Best.
