Since it has been revealed high-profile stars Tariq Sims and Robbie Rochow no longer want to be a part of the future with the Knights, where to from here?
Sims has already inked a deal to head to the St George-Illawarra Dragons, while Rochow looks set to head to either the Sharks or the Eels if recent reports are to be believed.
It’s no secret that the club has its issues recently thanks in part to a failed marriage with former billionaire Nathan Tinkler, but exactly why are star players still jumping ship?
The Knights have arguably rugby league’s greatest nursery, yet continue to leak quality players like a sieve. They are one of the game’s most well supported team and aside from the much smaller Newcastle Jets are the only major football side in Australia’s biggest regional city.
Why don’t quality players want to stay in the Hunter? What is so toxic about the environment at the Knights that not only do players not want to stay, but provide an output so poor that the club remains firmly rooted to the bottom of the ladder?
Nathan Brown, the new head coach, was hailed as the solution to all problems when he took over in February. Since then he has seen gun-youngster Joseph Tapine and Sims sign with other clubs, while Rochow appears all but gone.
Another 13 players remain off-contract, and even the surprise packet for the season, Nathan Ross, has Sydney clubs sniffing about.
Conversely, what player with any endearing quality would want to come to a club in this position? Why would any budding junior want to stay and remain mediocre? The rot has well and truly set in, and if something isn’t done before long we could see what happened to Western Suburbs back in the late 90’s happen to Newcastle.
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