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A light in the Knight tunnel

24th January, 2017
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Newcastle coach Nathan Brown. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Grant Trouville)
Roar Guru
24th January, 2017
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1822 Reads

Don’t believe the headlines, it’s been a good net week for the Newcastle Knights.

Coach Nathan Brown is not interested in patching up the aged list that he inherited from Wayne Bennett and Rick Stone, he wants to win a premiership.

He would be the first to agree that the Knights will finish closer to last than first this season, and even maybe the next, but by 2019 he will have a very competitive list of 30 players ready to challenge for the title.

Bennett coached the Knights from 2012 to 2014 with a poor 45 per cent win record – the only time the master mentor failed to pass the 60 per cent win mark at any club.

Not only was his time in Newcastle a blight on his exceptional record but Bennett’s focus on winning a premiership meant that his recruitment was focused on a short-term gain, and his legacy was a mess that Stone was left to lament – the latter had no chance with an old and tired list.

The biggest mistake that Bennett, and later, the Knights administration, made was paying many of the players over-market odds to ensure they stayed. This has been Brown’s greatest challenge to sort out.

He has been forced to move on Akuila Uate, who was on a reportedly ridiculous $600,000, when the average price for a winger was between $200,000 to 300,000.

When Bennett left, the Knights needed a class halfback, and were happy to pay overs for then-NSW No.7, Trent Hodkinson, reportedly on $600,000-plus. Maroon Dane Gagai was also signed by Bennett for $600,000 – well over market rates for a class centre.

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Let’s fast forward to this week, where Fairfax Media have reported “Newcastle have suffered their fourth body blow in the space of a cursed week.”

Let’s examine each “body blow”:

Rory Kostjasyn facing surgery and at least 12 weeks on the sidelines
He is a tackling machine only and not likely to make any starting 13.

Jarrod Mullen tested positive to a banned steroid
Well past his brilliant best, he is quoted at being on $550,000 for this season and 2018, but the real figure is likely closer to $900,000 a season, which could be a windfall for coach Brown as he attempts to build a winning squad.

If Mullen is cut and his salary is excluded from the cap, then all of a sudden the Knights are in a position to buy whoever they want, which may be a big forward like Matt Scott and not another half.

Pauli Pauli suffered a dislocated hip in a car crash
The Knights need big forwards and Pauli is important to their depth, especially when Brownie can get the best out of him, but this setback is not long term.

Korbin Sims was released to join Brisbane
He averaged 59 minutes across 22 games in 2016, registering a poor 83 metres and 28.5 tackles. His average gain per run of 8.5 metres is not what the Knights required. He is easily replaced.

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Knights fans have certainly bought into what Nathan Brown is doing by an increased membership, already up more than 2000 on last season.

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