The Knights are reportedly open to moving stars including Bradman Best and Daniel Saifiti to NRL rivals to help balance their salary cap.
The Tigers have upped their bid to poach Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson after meeting with the New Zealand veteran.
Read on for the latest NRL transfer Whispers.
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‘Sua’alii is not an 800k player’ | 02:39
KNIGHTS PUT STARS ON SALE AMID SALARY CAP ISSUES
The Knights are reportedly open to moving stars including Bradman Best and Daniel Saifiti to NRL rivals to help balance their salary cap.
Channel 9’s Danny Weidler are looking at freeing up salary cap space by putting stars Saifiti and Best on the open market.
“Players for sale is what I’m hearing – it hasn’t been denied by Newcastle, I’m hearing rumours they’re quite keen to overhaul their roster,” Weidler said on Nine’s 100% Footy.
“That could include – I’m not saying players are trying to get out – but it could include the likes of (Daniel) Saifiti or Bradman Best leaving the club if the right offer came to Newcastle.
“Now again, this is not player driven, but I’m hearing it’s coming out of the club pretty strongly and you look at their roster and maybe it’s not quite right for the club.”
Best is contracted until the end of 2024, while Saifiti is signed until the end of 2026.
Bulldogs boss Phil Gould believes the Knights’ salary cap may have become unbalanced by paying overs to lure players to the club.
“I think the concern for them is in an imbalance in the salary cap and your club can get like that sometimes and then it becomes a problem of how you fix that,” Gould said on 100% Footy.
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“Do you go for a quick fix? Which is actually to let some star players go on big money and then develop a few down the track … that’s hard to do because they’re the ones the fans have fallen in love with or do you go to the middle rung, but they’re not as easier to sell.
“The management of the salary cap is everything, it’s the management of your inventory and the prices you’re paying, you’ve got to have value in your salary cap if you’re going to win a premiership.
“When you’re in the cellar you’ve got to pay overs to get players into your club, sometimes you don’t get the marquee players to come to your club and that eats into it as well which is why you’ve got to have that development system underneath it.”
Best, 21, has scored 20 tries in 55 games for the Knights, but has only played more than 14 games in a season once in his career as he has battled injuries.
27-year-old Saifiti has scores 14 tries in 148 games since his debut in 2016 and has played seven Origins for the Blues and three Tests for Fiji.
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‘Never used to recruit people like that’ | 03:08
TIGERS OFFER JOHNSON TWO-YEAR DEAL
The Tigers have upped their bid to poach Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson after meeting with the New Zealand veteran.
The Daily Telegraph reported the Tigers are set to offer Johnson a two-year contract to finish his NRL career in Australia.
The Warriors are aware of the Tigers’ interest and are comfortable with Johnson exploring his options.
The Warriors are keen to keep Johnson for another 12 months in 2024, but are yet to consider a two-year extension for the 32-year-old.
Johnson told ABC Sport that he is pleased with his on-field performances in 2023.
“I am feeling comfortable with where I am at,” Johnson said.
“I still have a lot of things to work on. I am feeling in control. I am just glad I am back to enjoying it. I’m glad I am home and around my family.”
Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was full of praise for his veteran teammate.
“It’s beautiful playing outside Shaun, he is flying,” Watene-Zelezniak said.
“I am glad he is on my right edge.”
Johnson has scored 74 tries and 1,290 points in 238 NRL games for the Warriors and Sharks since his debut in 2011.