Recruitment and Retention for 2026

Frank Facer

SGI Jersey Flegg
Tom Jenkins is a player I would be interested in us signing. He wouldn't cost a lot and isn't in Penrith's starting team. I had him in my Supercoach team last year, so I was watching him closely and thought he looked pretty good when playing fullback for one game, centre for one game and then on the wing. He gives 100%. At center he looked to have a decent passing game and on the wing he was doing his job. He also was taking hit ups on the wing and at centre. He is off contract at the end of 26. If we did pursue him, we may be able to get him this year. He could slot straight onto the wing and cover centre or fullback, if there were injuries.
 

Frank Facer

SGI Jersey Flegg
If we could sign Pappy for 27, we could move Gutho to either 5/8 or centre for his last year. Atkinson paired with either Gutho or Reed could be good.

Fletcher Sharpe is the player I would like us to sign to play fullback. He is signed to Newcastle long term, but fullback looks to be his best position and he has Ponga blocking him there. Newy signed Brown, who isn't a halfback and is a genuine top line 5/8. So Sharpe may be blocked by 2 players on 1.3 mil or more. I would be offering him a big money long term contract to play fullback for us. I have heard/read he may be starting the year on the wing for Newy.
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
What I don’t like is we made this offer. Souths upped the money but not the term. Now South’s can’t match the offer from the Dragons or won’t why have the cooling off period what are all of a sudden Souths going to come up the extra money and contract length ? How many chances at it do you get ?
 

AyiosYiorgos

SGI Jersey Flegg
What I don’t like is we made this offer. Souths upped the money but not the term. Now South’s can’t match the offer from the Dragons or won’t why have the cooling off period what are all of a sudden Souths going to come up the extra money and contract length ? How many chances at it do you get ?
they don't have to come up with anything extra, KK could change his mind, the 10 day cooling off rule isn't new, not sure what the issue is.
 

TheRev

SGI NSW Cup
Yep still need to make sure we survive cooling off.. but yes Andersons job will be so much easier with the first fish landed.. and then again with the 2nd.. be ace if one of em could come early though... I dont want to buy 12mth fillers if we can help it.

Sua is such a confusing one.. if he could play in the middle/lock im interested... but I just cant fathom how else we can use him in 2027 and beyond.. surely Egan is locked on the left and one of Nick or Jacob or a Couchie has taken the right.. thats another season and 1.5 preseasons away yet.
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
they don't have to come up with anything extra, KK could change his mind, the 10 day cooling off rule isn't new, not sure what the issue is.
I understand mate but if the cooling off period only applies to souths and Kk. Then if nothing can be done by Souths and Kk is on board I thought the cooling off period could be wiped.
 

Eric

Staff
If we could sign Pappy for 27, we could move Gutho to either 5/8 or centre for his last year. Atkinson paired with either Gutho or Reed could be good.

Fletcher Sharpe is the player I would like us to sign to play fullback. He is signed to Newcastle long term, but fullback looks to be his best position and he has Ponga blocking him there. Newy signed Brown, who isn't a halfback and is a genuine top line 5/8. So Sharpe may be blocked by 2 players on 1.3 mil or more. I would be offering him a big money long term contract to play fullback for us. I have heard/read he may be starting the year on the wing for Newy.
Or maybe get Kayln Ponga 2-3 years. Before his long-term injury, he was arguably the best player in the game. I can't see how Newcastle won't have some serious salary cap issues in the next couple of years.
 

Leighton Craig

SGI Jersey Flegg
Yep still need to make sure we survive cooling off.. but yes Andersons job will be so much easier with the first fish landed.. and then again with the 2nd.. be ace if one of em could come early though... I dont want to buy 12mth fillers if we can help it.

Sua is such a confusing one.. if he could play in the middle/lock im interested... but I just cant fathom how else we can use him in 2027 and beyond.. surely Egan is locked on the left and one of Nick or Jacob or a Couchie has taken the right.. thats another season and 1.5 preseasons away yet.
It’s a tuff situation because by the time Jacob, nick or Cyrus will definitely be knocking on su’as door to take his spot, but is it worth letting sua go for some younger players who aren’t as good yet, but they could exceeds him in the future ?

Should he stay or go past his contract? I’m not too sure about what he should do because we do have alot of young 2rowers on the rise
 

Leighton Craig

SGI Jersey Flegg
If we could sign Pappy for 27, we could move Gutho to either 5/8 or centre for his last year. Atkinson paired with either Gutho or Reed could be good.

Fletcher Sharpe is the player I would like us to sign to play fullback. He is signed to Newcastle long term, but fullback looks to be his best position and he has Ponga blocking him there. Newy signed Brown, who isn't a halfback and is a genuine top line 5/8. So Sharpe may be blocked by 2 players on 1.3 mil or more. I would be offering him a big money long term contract to play fullback for us. I have heard/read he may be starting the year on the wing for Newy.
Tom Jenkins would be perfect if we could get him he’d be cheap for his level of talent, but in my opinion Murray taulagi is a level above we should try and go all out on him fletcher sharpe would be amazing but he’s newy through and through I can’t as him leaving
 
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Kim

SGI Jersey Flegg
If we could sign Pappy for 27, we could move Gutho to either 5/8 or centre for his last year. Atkinson paired with either Gutho or Reed could be good.

Fletcher Sharpe is the player I would like us to sign to play fullback. He is signed to Newcastle long term, but fullback looks to be his best position and he has Ponga blocking him there. Newy signed Brown, who isn't a halfback and is a genuine top line 5/8. So Sharpe may be blocked by 2 players on 1.3 mil or more. I would be offering him a big money long term contract to play fullback for us. I have heard/read he may be starting the year on the wing for Newy.
I like Fletcher Sharpe. Lots of speed and anticipation. Brave. Good tackling. Only 21 and even on a long contract he would not be blocking any of our young fullback prospects. But he is signed at the knights until the end of 2028.
 

RedV01

SGI NSW Cup
It’s a tuff situation because by the time Jacob, nick or Cyrus will definitely be knocking on su’as door to take his spot, but is it worth letting sua go for some younger players who aren’t as good yet, but they could exceeds him in the future ?

Should he stay or go past his contract? I’m not too sure about what he should do because we do have alot of young 2rowers on the rise
Time to be bold. We have a big name, Aus rep forward now. Let Su'A go at the end of his next contract and go with the young dudes.
 

Dragon David

SGI Jersey Flegg
they don't have to come up with anything extra, KK could change his mind, the 10 day cooling off rule isn't new, not sure what the issue is.
Exactly this as you say Ayios. WB doesn't want to waive the 10 day cooling off period just in the hope that he and other power brokers can convince KK to stay at Souths and not offer him a better deal than us. Wouldn't we look like drongos if this happened?
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
Exactly this as you say Ayios. WB doesn't want to waive the 10 day cooling off period just in the hope that he and other power brokers can convince KK to stay at Souths and not offer him a better deal than us. Wouldn't we look like drongos if this happened?
Yep and it wouldn’t be the first time
Dave. That’s why I’d rather hear that the cooling off period is done and the player has signed.
 

Frank Facer

SGI Jersey Flegg
Or maybe get Kayln Ponga 2-3 years. Before his long-term injury, he was arguably the best player in the game. I can't see how Newcastle won't have some serious salary cap issues in the next couple of years.
Yeah, Ponga be very good, but I think his price tag is too high. I think he is on 1.4 mil a year at Newy. There has been newspaper talk linking him with Easts. Canterbury are another club chasing a top line fullback. Politis always gets his man and Canterbury/Gould are now in the same boat as Easts recruitment wise. Gould looks to be using the same tactics/methods he learnt while at Easts. I just looked up how many games Ponga played over the last 5 seasons and the most he played in one season was 17 games, with other seasons around the 13 or 14 games. So he does find an injury quite often. That would be a massive concern to have so much money for a player who spends a lot of time on the sideline. It is the same with Tom Turbo for Manly. I also don't like how he doesn't commit to Newy and the speculation around him moving to another club or talk about wanting to play for the All Blacks can be unsettling to the club. I agree at his best and fully fit, he is one of the top fullbacks in the game.
 
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Ryan

SGI NSW Cup
Exactly this as you say Ayios. WB doesn't want to waive the 10 day cooling off period just in the hope that he and other power brokers can convince KK to stay at Souths and not offer him a better deal than us. Wouldn't we look like drongos if this happened?
If Bennett comes across as aggressively trying to get Keaon to backflip but is still knocked back, it won't do his credibility any good. But the fact he has denied the waiver shows he's trying to get Keaon to backflip.
 

Justadragon

SGI NSW Cup
If Bennett comes across as aggressively trying to get Keaon to backflip but is still knocked back, it won't do his credibility any good. But the fact he has denied the waiver shows he's trying to get Keaon to backflip.
That’s why we shouldn’t have this cooling off period. It should all be negotiable through his manager and may the best club win or where he wants to go. Iff kk backflips it will make us look like right idiots.
 
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