Newcastle’s chief executive has opened up on his club’s gigantic bid for star Eels playmaker Dylan Brown, though claims the Knights are still outsiders despite potentially offering $13 million over 10 years.
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Philip Gardner said that the Knights were willing to gamble a decade-long deal on Brown because they believed he could deliver them a premiership.
The New Zealand Test five-eighth is on the market despite being midway through a long-term agreement with Parramatta due to controversial contract clauses that the Eels have fast come to regret.
“We think Dylan, or someone like Dylan, is the missing piece for us,” Gardner told The Sydney Morning Herald. “We have great confidence in Fletcher Sharpe’s progression, and we’re very confident with what we’ve got in Coggs [Jack Cogger] and Tyson Gamble for this season.
“But certainly you want those great players to come to the club, and we see Dylan Brown as a great player. We’re giving it our absolute best shot to get Dylan to come – and why wouldn’t you want to come to Newcastle?
“We’ll have to compete with his contract with Parramatta. He’s currently on a six-year contract with Parramatta. He’s not going to come for less certainty, that’s for sure … we’re not ruling it [a 10-year contract] out. At his age, something beyond six years is a realistic option.”
Gardner insisted that the offer would be made within the club’s salary cap.
“We’ve got enough,” Gardner said. “We would never sign a player if we haven’t got enough cap space. They’ve got to show me a spreadsheet that shows me exactly where the cap sits before I’ll sign anything.
“So the offer that we’ve made to Dylan Brown is within our cap capacity.”
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‘WANTED OUT OF THE CLUB’: ROOSTERS, AGENT ADDRESS LENIU RUMOUR
Rumblings have emerged Roosters enforcer Spencer Leniu is unhappy at the club, with the NSW representative eyeing an early exit from his contract.
That is according to The Daily Telegraph’s Brent Read, who explained a rumour swirling about a high-profile player unhappy at his current club was regarding Leniu.
The 24-year-old made the switch to the Tricolours ahead of the 2024 season, having won three premierships with the Panthers in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
“This has been doing the rounds… there’s been a rumour going around that Spencer Leniu wanted out of the club,” Read said on Triple M on Monday morning.
“I contacted his agent last week about it, his agent said ‘that’s not true’. I know some other journalists have contacted the Roosters about it, the Roosters have denied it.
“The player involved is Spencer Leniu.”
Trent Robinson’s Roosters lost a host of big-name players in the off-season, with Joseph Suaali’i, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Joseph Manu, Luke Keary and Terrell May all departing.
In their place, the Tricolours have signed only Chad Townsend, while rugby convert Mark Nawaqanitawase linked up with his new teammates midway through the 2024 season.
Titans superstar David Fifita, meanwhile, signed with the Roosters before completing a massive backflip and opting to remain on the Gold Coast.
Former NRL enforcer Aaron Woods then asked: “Is this worrying signs for the Roosters? They haven’t been able to sign players.”
Read replied: “They struggled yesterday in the trial didn’t they, they’ve got some issues. They’ve got a lot of money in the kit bag, I think they’re saving it for Joey Manu.
“That’s a chance, my understanding is he’s struggled a bit in rugby union, there’s a chance he may come back at some point this year… and you’d say based on yesterday they need Joey.”
The Roosters were beaten 48-10 in their final pre-season by the Knights, with Woods questioning if Robinson is under pressure.
“Nick Politis loves Trent Robinson, I don’t think he’s under immense pressure. I think there’s an expectation this year that they won’t have as good a year,” Read said.
“There’s an expectation within the club as well. So if they win the spoon yeah, but I don’t think he’s under pressure.”
HETHERINGTON’S BRONCOS MESSAGE
Broncos star Kobe Hetherington has sent a message to new coach Michael Maguire, hoping to sign a fresh contract and remain in Red Hill long term.
Hetherington, 25, came desperately close to making a pre-season move to the Tigers, with both parties reportedly deep in negotiations for the gun lock to play under Benji Marshall.
However, when Michael Maguire arrived in Brisbane he blocked that move, with Broncos officials previously giving him permission to negotiate elsewhere for the 2025 season.
Now, speaking to Code Sports, Hetherington has urged Maguire to extend his contract beyond the 2025 season.
“It’s just wearing the Broncos logo, I got signed here straight out of school and it’s where I want to be. They signed me as a kid. I’d like to be here long term,” Hetherington said.
“Anytime you get to put the Broncos logo on it’s special so you know every time I get to put the logo on I like to go a hundred per cent.”
Maguire’s decision to keep Hetherington comes amid a reshape of the Broncos squad, with Pat Carrigan partnering Payne Haas at prop instead of wearing the No.13.
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“He’s (Carrigan) buying into it and there’s not much difference between lock and front row, we work well together and I can build off him, and I’d like to think he can build off me too,” Hetherington said.
In a huge boost for the Broncos, Haas, alongside Reece Walsh and Kotoni Staggs all overcame injury niggles to take the field in the pre-season challenge against the Bulldogs.
Carrigan also delivered 122 running metres in his 30-minute stint at prop, showing he is ready to make an impact in the front row.
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