Speculation in the Newcastle section of the Sunday Telegraph (Sydney paper- not online - the paper is, but the Newcastle supplement isn't) that Rick Stone is trying to sign Newcastle Knights fullback Jake Mamo and Hooker Tyler Randell.

Jake the Snake is the fittest player at the Knights and a fullback or wing who was the under 20s player of the year 2 years ago. He is a bit small and has always had poor hands, but he is very fast and very fit.

Tyler Randell was Stone's fair haired boy when he coached reserve grade. As a junior his main position was 5/8, but stone used him as Mr fix it in reserve grade, using him at centre, 5/8, halfback, lock, second row and hooker at various times. Randell is very fit and has excellent defence for a guy who isn't very big. He was able to play in the forwards because of his excellent technique in defence. He has played as a firstgrade hooker for the last 2 years, but he sees himself as a 5/8 and always does his extras to keep up his kicking and playmaking skills.

Both these guys are on the small side, and coach Nathan Brown seems very keen on bigger players in every position. They are the two best trainers at the Knights. The only two guys to ever beat Kurt Gidley in a beep test.

They sound good if we could have Paul Gallen and slamming Sam to look after them.!!

Mamo scored a great try today. Not the complete player, but would be a good signing for us.

hooker and full back, two positions we have struggled this season.. at least stone can see that too!

all depends if we stay up i suppose and someone would have to leave for two more aussies to come in, overseas cap?

wardle might be part of a deal to go to newcastle ?

Fast and fit and Has always had poor hands- sounds perfect for our fullback......
So we would then have 7 overseas players in our squad (providing we don't lose Taai) when last season we only had one.

looks like mamo could be on his way , just need to stay up ! would solve the full back dilemma we have

Would it solve the dilemma? He's a Winger turned FB, did well in the lower grades but he's young and not an established FB in the NRL, not a regular FB. If we are going to go young and unestablished may as well stick with brierley! - Sounds like Newcastle Knights fans won't be fussed in the slightest to see him go...

but he's Australian? so that means he's automatically a world class RL player and better than anyone in the UK.

That's how it goes.....

That's rubbish he's a player known to our new coach who was successful coaching that type/level of player in Australia.

Hodgson, Skandalis, Drew, Costin, Russell, De Vere, Fa'alago, Faiumu etc etc. We've had some bloody good ones and mainly not the biggest names.

Whilst we know Jool's would want to keep Grix and as such has been any potential new FB's biggest critic we have employed Stone and have to trust he knows what he is doing !!

We gave Anderson far too long this season but yet after just a few weeks it seems in certain quarters Stone has had too much time already !!

What rubbish comparing him to Hodgson, skandalis, drew Faalogo etc! This guy is 22, been playing first grade just over 1 year and even then not been making The first grade side consistently- he's not even played FB consistently.
But Rick stone knows bests you say, he's successful you say Has Rick stone coached successfully? Has he been any more successful than Anderson? What silverware has he won when coaching a top flight side? They've both won the wooden spoon.....
I've still to make my mind up about him as its early days- EITHER WAY!
It seems some people make an assumption that because someone is Australian and involved in RL they are automatically going to be be world beaters. As I've said Newcastle Knights fans couldn't care less that they are losing a "young prospect" in Mamo. Compare that to the reaction when it was announced Connor was going to Hull. That to me speaks volumes. from what I can see he was a promising youngster who hasn't Kicked on and hasn't won the hearts of the fans. If he's coming we will be paying him well above what one of our own 22 year old players would be getting and that's the issue as far as I see- we wouldn't pay Connor but we will pay an Aussie. why take on an Australian youngster that will be earning more than some of our more established squad player! We've gone from a team who could boast a full English line up and are moving towards a team full of second rate Southern Hemisphere players....

I have to agree with Jools on this one. Stone has a way to go yet to convince me, so bringing in an untried Aussie over the heads of our youngsters smacks of desparation.

I said Rick Stone knows the guys capabilities and where do I compare him to Drew etc etc my point which was blindingly obvious is that your dismissive posts on Australians were rubbish as we have had a lot of good ones in the past.

A team needs to be balanced and sign players that suit it's structure and style.

Rick Stone is new the jury is out but 'the club' have appointed him as their best options so surely he deserves some support as he tries to get us out of the mess Anderson left us in.

We can sign all the local juniors we want but if we get relegated their contracts are nul and void remember Bradford getting Bridge for nowt and St Helens Martin Gleeson for nowt when he was worth £150,000 + ??

The desperation is the crap Paul Anderson left us in we are in a relegation battle or have you forgotten ??

What youngsters would he be keeping out our fullbacks are Grix, Simpson and Connor.

Simpson hasn't had a decent game in his last few try's Grix is off to Trinity and Connor to Hull.

Much as the season has improved Roberts and Mason we finished bottom of the league because we had major players out for long periods injured and a thin squad Andersons call not Stone's.

Stone will be judged on his team when he's built it how can you blame him if we get relegated and even though he has that to deal with he has to plan for next season as if we are in Superleague.

We have far bigger fish to fry than a young Assie who may or may not be heading our way next season.

Randell is a better player than Mamo, and closer to Stoney.
Knights rookie Dylan Phythian said today that Stone tried to ring him after his debut on the weekend - but that could be because he is a family friend and got his start after playing juniors with Ben Stone (Rick's son).

You compared him to drew etc by saying we had some good Aussies- yes- all tried and tested at the time they were signed. They weren't young players struggling to get into a struggling side. I didn't dismiss Aussies- just dismissed the premise that if he's Aussie it automatically makes him a good signing and we'd be paying him more than we were prepared to pay one of our own.
I also dispute the fact that Anderson was the one who got us where we are- that's a joint effort between him and the players....

I'm sure Darnell mackintosh will be pleased you overlooked him as yet another young FB we have coming through.

jees the guys hasnt even signed yet!



the grix lovers will like any future full back to fail just to say told you so....

jury still out on stone, well yes not been here long has he

as for connor couldnt care less him leaving, wouldnt have him playing for us as not comitted to the giants cause, the odd good game and some think hes billy slater

A lot of people are very quick to slate Aussie players, Pension seekers , over the hill crocks etc, One thing to remember is a lot of these over the hill crocks are players who have been playing at a different level to what we play . Generally speaking they along with the younger players ( unproven who can't make the first team ) are at the level of our S league players ( not the Giants of course ) we have maybe 6/7 players at that level. The top players are out of our class, both on the field and wage wise.

If we were at the top of the pile, with a serious chance of winning something worth winning ,it would be understandable. The reality is we have spent the season making up the numbers, Playing like poor amateurs, and finished the bottom of the pile, and may yet get relegated( Watch for the very imaginative and infinite excuses should that happen )

I know little or nothing about these two players, so i can't say how good they are, I know a fair bit about our players and i can say how poor they are, Rick Stone ! who knows if he will be the man or not, He certainly isn't the man who turned some really decent players into a very very poor side.

Agree with every word... Bar the presumption on wages. (If I've read it right) But yeah great post!

For what it's worth I like Grix. He's been a crucial part of of squad in the years we've been finishing at the top.
I love his commitment and his hard work.
For all the criticism he gets nobody else has been any better at fullback consistently over the last few years.
Problem for him there's been clouded judgment over fans wanting young talents to take his place. There has been Connor, Simpson and now Brierly.
People tend to wait for his mistakes and miss what organising he does all game.

Never in a million years would I wish anyone to fail in that position to prove my above statement. I'm a giants fan! Whoever plays.
The pettiness comments come mainly from the we hate Grix bandwagon.

It's sad such a try harder and grafter.. Will leave us as a player most would like to forget.

yep cant knock his commitment and hard work.

Grix has been good for us over the years but at this moment in time his best years are behind him and he is not the best full back we have at the club.

Steer well clear of these 2 if you want to progress next year.

The best fullback in our squad is opinion based and hard to argue against anyone's opinion as all have there Positives.

Grix, Connor and Murphy all have had shocking games in semi finals and big games so all suffer the same trate of going missing in big games.
No.1 is a huge position in any team. Our best chance was when Hodgson was with us.

I hope we sort this out next season. We have to back Stone's decisions.

The best full back is the coach's opinion, he's the one who sees the players in training, he's the ones who knows their capabilities and limits, he's the one who sees their attitude, he's the one who sees who can organise and who can't. that's why Stone is the head coach and none of us lot are, as much as we all like to think we can do a better job.