2020 hooker (and Fainu disc.)

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Cust or Croker for hooker 2020 if Nas is out

  • Cust

    Votes: 47 32.4%
  • Crocker

    Votes: 16 11.0%
  • Zach Dockar-Clay

    Votes: 16 11.0%
  • Fainu

    Votes: 16 11.0%
  • Levi

    Votes: 50 34.5%

  • Total voters
    145
I've been an advocate of Levi for a while. Not going to be a superstar but a damm sight better then relying on Cust or Croker to start the season at hooker.

Obviously the best outcome would be to have Fainu cleared but Levi is not a bad option considering the situation.

Edwin I hope does well but he seems that standard hype train that fans buy into. My tip is he doesn't play first grade at all for us
 
Realize that it is a traditional quiet club activity time [ signing wise ] over the Xmas break but the Levi saga has been dragging on for a while now with no clear indications either way . The P N G Ipane has been bought in also during this time line and no likely cap dispensation for Fainu for some time yet also . [ if he is definitely unavailable for 2020 ] Plus the Knigths will probably have to accommodate part of his contract which will [ or did ] complicate matters . As things now seem with the 9 situation , if he does sign soon , good , but get the impression that it could still be a non event with him joining Manly for 2020 .
 
I wouldn't put much stock in the fact that the Knights don't want him. They didn't want Ramien either. They also signed young Brailey from Sharks. They were also playing Watson at 9 for the back end of the season, which seemed like a hair brained idea from Brown. Given the way Brown left the joint I also suspect it's not a happy camp and Danny may have been on the outer for all we know. New coach, new style that doesn't gel ?? who knows.

Anyway if given a choice between what we have currently (Cust, Croker, ZDC) I'll take Levi for sure. At least we know he can cut it in first grade and if Des thinks he can get him to fit our structure then sounds good to me.
 
The old reasoning of "...he wasn't good enough for..." has been shot down time and time again.

The biggest indicator for me if Des wants Levi or not is that he wants/needs an experienced #9, he let Api go with a view to Fainu being the one with Croker/Cust off the bench and could maybe tinker with who plays #6.
Is Walker his preferred 5/8 or centre?
If Fainu is goneski then that changes things, an experienced, coachable #9 with a point to prove is what's required, can't risk a makeshift #9 - Croker/Cust - if Schuster etc was in the mix at 5/8.
A Rookie taking no 6
Makes the need for an experienced no 9 make sense.
Time will tell.
 
Manly have not denied interest in Levi but they may not be able to get Newcastle to carry enough of his freight.
 
Seems Levi deal all paper talk ??
There's an article where both Danny (quoted), and the club confirm a contracts been signed. Sec, I'll try and find it:


NRL | Hooker Danny Levi is on the verge of quitting the Knights to join Manly
  • BARRY TOOHEY

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Leaving: Unwanted Knights hooker Danny Levi is on the verge of quitting the club to join rival club Manly. Picture: Max Mason-Hubbers.

Unwanted Knights hooker Danny Levi admits the downside of a move to Manly to resurrect his NRL career will be leaving Newcastle and a host of close teammates behind.
The former Kiwi international is on the verge of linking with the Eagles immediately despite having a year to run at the Knights with a deal almost certain to be finalised within the next day or two.

"I don't want to jump the gun after what happened last time [with a deal at Parramatta falling over at the 11th hour] but hopefully, I'll get a call from my manager today or tomorrow and it will be done," Levi told the Newcastle Herald on Wednesday.
"It's all happened pretty quick. I only found out about it on Sunday night and pretty much it's all happening now so it's all good."

The Knights aren't commenting on Levi's pending move until it's finalised but it's understood a release was requested on Monday pending settlement of the deal with the Eagles.
The Knights have made it clear they would not stand in the way of the 24-year-old hooker going elsewhere after signing Jayden Brailey from Cronulla as their number one hooker during last season.
Brailey is regarded as an 80 minute player but the club also has utility Connor Watson as a hooking back-up along with the emerging Luke Huth.
Levi faced the prospect of playing a season in NSW Cup if he remained at the Knights.
I love this place and all the boys here and that's not going to change but you've got to do what you've got to do.
Danny Levi
He knew the writing was on the wall when Brailey was enticed from the Sharks.
"It was pretty much a sign they were telling me without telling me when they signed him [Brailey] so I just needed to do what I had to do - prove myself somewhere else," he said. "Maybe if I was moving with my family to the heart of Sydney, I wouldn't be too keen but Manly seems a nice area so it's all good.
"I love this place [Newcastle] and all the boys here and that's not going to change but you've got to do what you've got to do."
The Newcastle Herald first touted Levi's links to Manly last October after the club's number one hooker Manase Fainu was stood down under the NRL's no-fault policy following an alleged stabbing of a man at a church dance party in Sydney's west.
Fainu has pleaded not guilty to charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and recklessly causing grievous bodily harm in company.
He is due back in court on February 3 and has been stood down until the case has been fully resolved.
 
Not sure he's coming across as super keen/ appreciative here... "don't want to leave but gotta do what you gotta do" isn't a glowing endorsement of someone who wants to be here?
 
There's an article where both Danny (quoted), and the club confirm a contracts been signed. Sec, I'll try and find it:


NRL | Hooker Danny Levi is on the verge of quitting the Knights to join Manly
  • BARRY TOOHEY

View attachment 13407
Welcome back Ryan. We’ve missed you!!!
Leaving: Unwanted Knights hooker Danny Levi is on the verge of quitting the club to join rival club Manly. Picture: Max Mason-Hubbers.

Unwanted Knights hooker Danny Levi admits the downside of a move to Manly to resurrect his NRL career will be leaving Newcastle and a host of close teammates behind.
The former Kiwi international is on the verge of linking with the Eagles immediately despite having a year to run at the Knights with a deal almost certain to be finalised within the next day or two.

"I don't want to jump the gun after what happened last time [with a deal at Parramatta falling over at the 11th hour] but hopefully, I'll get a call from my manager today or tomorrow and it will be done," Levi told the Newcastle Herald on Wednesday.
"It's all happened pretty quick. I only found out about it on Sunday night and pretty much it's all happening now so it's all good."

The Knights aren't commenting on Levi's pending move until it's finalised but it's understood a release was requested on Monday pending settlement of the deal with the Eagles.
The Knights have made it clear they would not stand in the way of the 24-year-old hooker going elsewhere after signing Jayden Brailey from Cronulla as their number one hooker during last season.
Brailey is regarded as an 80 minute player but the club also has utility Connor Watson as a hooking back-up along with the emerging Luke Huth.
Levi faced the prospect of playing a season in NSW Cup if he remained at the Knights.

He knew the writing was on the wall when Brailey was enticed from the Sharks.
"It was pretty much a sign they were telling me without telling me when they signed him [Brailey] so I just needed to do what I had to do - prove myself somewhere else," he said. "Maybe if I was moving with my family to the heart of Sydney, I wouldn't be too keen but Manly seems a nice area so it's all good.
"I love this place [Newcastle] and all the boys here and that's not going to change but you've got to do what you've got to do."
The Newcastle Herald first touted Levi's links to Manly last October after the club's number one hooker Manase Fainu was stood down under the NRL's no-fault policy following an alleged stabbing of a man at a church dance party in Sydney's west.
Fainu has pleaded not guilty to charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and recklessly causing grievous bodily harm in company.
He is due back in court on February 3 and has been stood down until the case has been fully resolved.
 
I still can't believe why Fainu receives so much praise and love here, i don't see an exceptional player other than his unique ways of attracting markers around the ruck and offloading, offered zero defensively and work rate wise.

Yes i know for a first year player you are still developing,(you can't expect too much i grant that so early on) makes a great second option but i wouldn't be banking on value for money long term hooker potential that is for sure.(Fainu is value for money as a 30-40min player presently though)

Give me a strong, solid, well spoken high work rate hooker with a strong passing game and just enough speed around the ruck to keep the markers honest or engaged any day of the week.(doesn't have to be flamboyant or unique) Combine that with some sharp spark option off the bench is more than enough.

In saying that if the interchange goes down to six (which i hope it doesn't and i doubt it will) the pressure to have an 80min high work rate player increases. Also if the trend is to get back to reduced stoppages and penalty counts a high work rate hooker who can play 80mins or long mins is required.
 
Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
4 3 1 28 6
3 2 1 10 6
4 2 2 39 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 4
2 1 1 6 4
3 2 1 -3 4
3 1 2 0 2
3 1 2 -5 2
3 1 2 -15 2
3 1 2 -22 2
3 1 2 -36 2
2 0 2 -56 2
3 0 3 -64 0
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