Sandon next week

[ism22]

He might not have to , been in the middle you get more help / assistance the being in the halves and outside backs . But yea his tackle count will have to greatly increase which may diminish his attack.

Jeez the knoghts are in a world of hurt at the moment.

1.4 mill apiece for brown and kalyn who plays about half a season , awful recruitment .

No coach and all the big contracts locked in... or are they?

IDK! Wouldn't personally be signing with them if I wanted stability or career outcomes. However like Watson... if you're a #14 (or maybe NSW Cup player) and $600k a year over a few seasons is on the table then it'd be stupid to turn it down.

Worst case scenario you bank ~$3m, pay off a house, buy 1 or 2 investments and then go to France for a $300k a year paid holiday afterwards.

I reckon he'd be stupid not to take the offer as he could be relegated to NSW Cup next year, earning say $130-150k in Sydney (which is **** all money when a modest house in Ashfield costs $2.5m these days) and quietly shown the door if he's injured or stagnates.

Dare I say here's a situation where it's probably not bad having Chad Townsend in your ear saying 'bro just stick it out and keep training hard... been there... people shit on me but I own a mansion in Cronulla, have a hot wife and am financially set for life!!! You can go from premiership half to reject in the blink of an eye without doing anything wrong... form's a biatch. Modern players don't have to be a Cooper Cronk or Cam Smith to end up VERY comfortable in life... just gotta keep training hard and play your cards right, mate'.

[Bates]

Dylan Brown will be on $1.4 million a year next season. How ridiculous!

He's a middle tier half who's now playing in the centres for the Eels and has always struggled with consistency.

Some clubs have no idea how to manage their cap! Knights are investing $2.8 mill in Brown who is average and Ponga who's always injured. You can put a line through the Knights 2026 already.

Success starts with ones front office in the NRL.

[bondi.boy]

Robbo - you know it makes sense, Sandon needs to be on the bench next week! Shania Twain off to NSW Cup with Connor starting.

Sandon can and has played that utility role and we can’t afford to have a half go down again and have no impetus in attack.

I’ve been Sandon’s harshest critic but he has it in spades over Shania who had another average game.

Comments/Remarks/Reflections

Benny is basically an inexperienced rookie, learning to play first grade, doing a job for his coach and the team.
He cannot be expected to be a superstar at this stage.

[Roosterfarian]

Benny is basically an inexperienced rookie, learning to play first grade, doing a job for his coach and the team.
He cannot be expected to be a superstar at this stage.

I'm not asking him to be one right now. That's not the point of my post.

The point is that I think Sandon can do an admirable job filling in for 20 minutes at hooker, but more importantly if one of the halves goes down (and we know Sammy's history with HIA), we have one that can step right on the field and cover.

[Steakface]

No coach and all the big contracts locked in... or are they?

IDK! Wouldn't personally be signing with them if I wanted stability or career outcomes. However like Watson... if you're a #14 (or maybe NSW Cup player) and $600k a year over a few seasons is on the table then it'd be stupid to turn it down.

Worst case scenario you bank ~$3m, pay off a house, buy 1 or 2 investments and then go to France for a $300k a year paid holiday afterwards.

I reckon he'd be stupid not to take the offer as he could be relegated to NSW Cup next year, earning say $130-150k in Sydney (which is **** all money when a modest house in Ashfield costs $2.5m these days) and quietly shown the door if he's injured or stagnates.

Dare I say here's a situation where it's probably not bad having Chad Townsend in your ear saying 'bro just stick it out and keep training hard... been there... people shit on me but I own a mansion in Cronulla, have a hot wife and am financially set for life!!! You can go from premiership half to reject in the blink of an eye without doing anything wrong... form's a biatch. Modern players don't have to be a Cooper Cronk or Cam Smith to end up VERY comfortable in life... just gotta keep training hard and play your cards right, mate'.

Well said.

Presumably the market was scoped out, and the Knights were the best option.

Good on him - he should take the cash as he isn't in the elite echelon, and you never know when injuries might strike that could put the career in jeapordy.

He is only 22 years old, and despite having some big flaws in his game he really isn't that bad.

I don't rate him as a hooker yet, because his defence just isn't there. But if he can sort that out, he has potential to be decent there.

As a half, if he can improve his decision making, and ability to generate line break assists, I think he can turn into a tidy half - albeit not near the elite tier.

I like him, but I think we've certainly made the right decision with Savala/Smith.

And yes, I'd prefer him on our bench v the Sharks.

[Bates]

I will always remember Sandon's 2025 Anzac Day performance.

He was outstanding!

[fletch]

The Knights today finally confirmed that they have signed Sandon Smith to a 4yr deal.

https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/...-sandon-smith/

[ism22]

The Knights today finally confirmed that they have signed Sandon Smith to a 4yr deal.

https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/...-sandon-smith/

Hope he banks some solid cash out of it and comes good like Watson has done.

IMO earning $500k+ a year and getting to play as a starting half is something most won't achieve in life and those playmaking positions for little guys aren't all that common (2-3 per team?)

Good luck! Glad to see an Easts junior banking good coin while probably living the dream up on the beach in Newie (and saving money on housing...etc). Last time I checked Sydney prices it was ~$3.5m for a workers cottage in Ashfield. Don't care if you're on $650k a year, that's still a shyte load of cash!

[HunchoRooster]

I still struggle to see where Sandon fits in that side given Brown will be going there on mega money and Fletcher Sharpe when fit is probably their best player at 6. Basketcase of a club but I wish Sandon well.

[ism22]

I still struggle to see where Sandon fits in that side given Brown will be going there on mega money and Fletcher Sharpe when fit is probably their best player at 6. Basketcase of a club but I wish Sandon well.

And Crossland's their hooker right? (Not that I'd play Sandon as a starting hooker).

Tyson Gamble was told he could leave back in August or so right?

Knights have said "We know Sandon is a dynamic half, who can also play hooker. His combination with Dylan Brown, Fletcher Sharpe and Kalyn Ponga gives us great coverage and depth in all our spine options."

So... 'great depth coverage' I suppose? Still hope he banks $$$ in the process.

[Chook2]

I still struggle to see where Sandon fits in that side given Brown will be going there on mega money and Fletcher Sharpe when fit is probably their best player at 6. Basketcase of a club but I wish Sandon well.

I allways felt he may be an okay 14
and depth for the halves in injuries but no further

[Bates]

I still struggle to see where Sandon fits in that side given Brown will be going there on mega money and Fletcher Sharpe when fit is probably their best player at 6. Basketcase of a club but I wish Sandon well.

Depth signing.

[HunchoRooster]

I guess if we are talking about him as a depth signing for the team that won the spoon, then we really aren’t losing too much and have made the right call.

I do think he is the calibre of a starting NRL half though.

[kakaruk]

Sandon has a lot of upside in his game he’s only young hopefully he goes really well at the knights

[The Real King]

Sandon has a lot of upside in his game he’s only young hopefully he goes really well at the knights

Killed it on Anzac day but couldn’t repeat that form when we needed it.
Didn’t understand what was required in certain situations, seems to lack confidence sometimes.

I really hated his pre conceived thoughts on a play rather than watching what the opposition was doing.
How many intercepts did he throw?

But, if he learns to play what’s in-front of him, sure there is an upside.