Rugby League Newcastle - News, Signings and Rumours

The Newcastle Knights have signed Craig Gower for the remainder of the 2013 season. Gower is expected to arrive in Newcastle early next week.

 

Apparently he's been going OK in the UK - but is ageing.

 

N'cle Herald:

KNIGHTS forward Neville Costigan wants to win a premiership with Newcastle before continuing his career elsewhere next year. The 28-year-old Papua New Guinea international and former Queensland Origin representative has confirmed speculation that this will be his final season at the Knights after coach Wayne Bennett told him they would not be offering him a new contract.

Interesting move by Benny. Moving on one of Dad's army !

 

The Newcastle Knights are pleased to announce that they have secured the services of Hull KR half back Michael Dobson for the 2014 season. An Australian Schoolboy, Dobson played 20 games for the Canberra Raiders before being lured back to the English Super League midway through the 2008 season.

 

Newcastle Knights winger Josh Mantellato has re-signed with the Club for season 2014.

The 26-year-old Wyong junior, who joined the Knights in 2012, made his NRL debut against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Round 12 this season.

“It was my first and only intention to stay here, I have had a great year so far and to continue here for another year is very exciting,” Mantellato said.

 

Matt Hilder, Timana Tahu and Anthony Quinn have agreed to play on with the Newcastle Knights for season 2014, while Clint Newton will return.

The four senior players are integral to the Club’s plans of making NSW Cup the Knights’ second-tier team from next season.

 

With nine former St George Illawarra players and four coaching staff, headed by Wayne Bennett, some have started to refer to the Knights as the Newcastle Dragons.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/former-dragons-breathing-fire-into-newcastles-premiership-ambitions-20130924-2uc98.html#ixzz2ft54mrX8

Good luck to our boys this week.

 

Warriors and Test prop Russell Packer is headed to Newcastle next season after penning a four-year deal with the NRL club.

The 23-year-old was released from the final year of his contract at the Warriors, with whom he made his NRL debut in 2008.

 

It never rains ...

As the Newcastle Knights stand firm despite a public outcry to sack jailed thug Russell Packer, Fairfax Media can reveal club official Ben Rogers is facing two assault charges after an incident at a charity fundraiser.

Rogers, the former five-eighth who played 30 games for the Knights between 2009 and 2011, is the club's community and charity support manager.

In the early hours of September 1 last year, Rogers is alleged to have punched two men in an incident captured on closed-circuit television at a taxi rank outside Wests Leagues in New Lambton. He was charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and has appeared twice in Newcastle Local Court. The matter has been adjourned until January 20.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/newcastle-knights-take-another-hit-with-ben-rogers-charged-with-assault-20140108-30hln.html#ixzz2pqMtO0sl

 

Meanwhile, Knights coach Wayne Bennett has added Kevin Walters to his coaching staff on a part-time basis.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/newcastle-knights-take-another-hit-with-ben-rogers-charged-with-assault-20140108-30hln.html#ixzz2pqN8Zhzp

 

Halfback Tyrone Roberts has re-signed with the club until the end of 2017

 

Looks like Tinkler's gone. I wonder how Benny feels.

The Club "seems" safe with the guarantee, but what was the arrangement with Benny ?

 

James Taylor (NZW) signed.

 

Tariq Sims set to sign.

 

Wayne Bennett’s coaching future at Newcastle could hinge on the outcome of a meeting with the NRL tomorrow.

Just days after his side snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Cowboys on Monday night, Bennett and other club officials will sit down with NRL representatives in a bid to prioritise a strategy to take the club forward.

While the Knights ownership crisis has settled down with the NRL stepping into the breach in an interim capacity following the departure of Nathan Tinker, Bennett’s long term position is yet to be addressed.

He is contracted to the Knights for 2015 but hasn’t committed to another year and won’t do so until he is given a clear picture of what the new administrative structure of the club will look like.

 

NZ Warrior Carlos Tuimavave has signed a 2 year deal with Newcastle Knights starting 2015.

 

WAYNE Bennett has revealed he has interest from rival clubs as the master coach decides whether to formally commit to a restructured Newcastle next season.

The former Broncos coach said “there are options out there”, but he is prepared to coach the Knights in 2015 if he believes it is the most palatable scenario.

As revealed by The Courier-Mail last week, the Dragons have identified Bennett and Titans assistant Neil Henry as frontline contenders to rebuild the club next season. Bennett is tipped to stay loyal to Newcastle after a four-hour meeting with the NRL on Thursday, but for the first time he has admits the Knights are not his only option.

 

Bennett quits Knights.

 

Bit of a shame this one. I was hoping he would stick it out for the betterment of the club. I can understand his reasoning though. He obviously doesn't have much time left in his coaching career, and hasn't the time to build up a premiership side.