Absolutely. I think they released Smithies and Bateman early, so potential to buy him out, but I'd imagine he'd cost a bit.
Yeah not 100% sure but think the NRL clubs have paid a fee at times for the likes of Tompkins, Smithies and Williams.
Makes absolute sense, so long as there are clauses to help the players wage go up as I doubt Nsemba is on big money right now.
KPP is out of contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season, so you could get him in at that point and he's got a season and a half to learn the position and the game, so basically a full season more than Burgess.
Leaving aside the Burgess personality I think he could have made it had his club and England been aligned on his position and development.
I'd like to see what one of those big League lads could do. I don't know much about KPP other than he's a unit. I presume he'd be looked at as a centre, be interesting to see if Exeter could make that sort of move. They'd certainly benefit from someone like that coming in at 12.
KPP’s brother is at Saracens so a move there might be the one if there was any real interest. If he was to play centre, they’d probably need to be losing one as they have Tompkins, Spink, Hartley and Lozowski. Ideal scenario would be Tompkins going to Wales since he seems to think he’s Welsh- I seem to recall that didn’t go so well for him last time though.
Yeah not 100% sure but think the NRL clubs have paid a fee at times for the likes of Tompkins, Smithies and Williams.
Makes absolute sense, so long as there are clauses to help the players wage go up as I doubt Nsemba is on big money right now.
KPP is out of contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season, so you could get him in at that point and he's got a season and a half to learn the position and the game, so basically a full season more than Burgess.
Leaving aside the Burgess personality I think he could have made it had his club and England been aligned on his position and development.
I'd like to see what one of those big League lads could do. I don't know much about KPP other than he's a unit. I presume he'd be looked at as a centre, be interesting to see if Exeter could make that sort of move. They'd certainly benefit from someone like that coming in at 12.
Inclined to agree on Burgess, just never going to happen in half a season playing two totally unrelated positions.
He's a big powerful lad, pretty quick for his size (played centre in the RLWC but only against Greece), carried a lot for a lot if metres in the NRL this year, good feet with a decent amount of offloads. Probably the best part of his game, though, is that he's really good defensively, tackle success rate is somewhere around 94% in the last season.
KPP is out of contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season, so you could get him in at that point and he's got a season and a half to learn the position and the game, so basically a full season more than Burgess.
Leaving aside the Burgess personality I think he could have made it had his club and England been aligned on his position and development.
I'd like to see what one of those big League lads could do. I don't know much about KPP other than he's a unit. I presume he'd be looked at as a centre, be interesting to see if Exeter could make that sort of move. They'd certainly benefit from someone like that coming in at 12.
Inclined to agree on Burgess, just never going to happen in half a season playing two totally unrelated positions.
He's a big powerful lad, pretty quick for his size (played centre in the RLWC but only against Greece), carried a lot for a lot if metres in the NRL this year, good feet with a decent amount of offloads. Probably the best part of his game, though, is that he's really good defensively, tackle success rate is somewhere around 94% in the last season.
Quins, Chiefs or maybe Sale could all be good fits for him then. They all look to have a pressing need at 12 and would favour someone big and direct like that. A quick Google suggests he's going to be fielding the GBP equivalent of offers around £300k a season so he'd not be a cheap punt. Might make it difficult for Sale or Quins to fit him into the cap.
Yeah not 100% sure but think the NRL clubs have paid a fee at times for the likes of Tompkins, Smithies and Williams.
Makes absolute sense, so long as there are clauses to help the players wage go up as I doubt Nsemba is on big money right now.
KPP is out of contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season, so you could get him in at that point and he's got a season and a half to learn the position and the game, so basically a full season more than Burgess.
Leaving aside the Burgess personality I think he could have made it had his club and England been aligned on his position and development.
Burgess could've been a superb 6/8 if he'd had the minerals to stick it out after the RWC. Instead, he decided to absolutely fuck over Mike Ford and Bath by taking the additional time they granted him after the RWC and then getting as far as being named on the bench for a Prem game before telling them he was leaving to go back to Australia. Left them in the lurch mid-season, having lost Fearns and Devoto because they'd prioritised his development and his gametime to help him make the RWC, and having no way to replace the hole in the squad that he'd left when everyone else of quality was already under contract.
KPP is out of contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season, so you could get him in at that point and he's got a season and a half to learn the position and the game, so basically a full season more than Burgess.
Leaving aside the Burgess personality I think he could have made it had his club and England been aligned on his position and development.
Burgess could've been a superb 6/8 if he'd had the minerals to stick it out after the RWC. Instead, he decided to absolutely fuck over Mike Ford and Bath by taking the additional time they granted him after the RWC and then getting as far as being named on the bench for a Prem game before telling them he was leaving to go back to Australia. Left them in the lurch mid-season, having lost Fearns and Devoto because they'd prioritised his development and his gametime to help him make the RWC, and having no way to replace the hole in the squad that he'd left when everyone else of quality was already under contract.
Puja
I think so too. Also think what he did was pathetic, and pretty much lost all respect for him after that.
Leaving aside the Burgess personality I think he could have made it had his club and England been aligned on his position and development.
Burgess could've been a superb 6/8 if he'd had the minerals to stick it out after the RWC. Instead, he decided to absolutely fuck over Mike Ford and Bath by taking the additional time they granted him after the RWC and then getting as far as being named on the bench for a Prem game before telling them he was leaving to go back to Australia. Left them in the lurch mid-season, having lost Fearns and Devoto because they'd prioritised his development and his gametime to help him make the RWC, and having no way to replace the hole in the squad that he'd left when everyone else of quality was already under contract.
Puja
I think so too. Also think what he did was pathetic, and pretty much lost all respect for him after that.
I did specifically say aside from the Burgess personality because he really is a bit of a tool.
Burgess could've been a superb 6/8 if he'd had the minerals to stick it out after the RWC. Instead, he decided to absolutely fuck over Mike Ford and Bath by taking the additional time they granted him after the RWC and then getting as far as being named on the bench for a Prem game before telling them he was leaving to go back to Australia. Left them in the lurch mid-season, having lost Fearns and Devoto because they'd prioritised his development and his gametime to help him make the RWC, and having no way to replace the hole in the squad that he'd left when everyone else of quality was already under contract.
Puja
I think so too. Also think what he did was pathetic, and pretty much lost all respect for him after that.
I did specifically say aside from the Burgess personality because he really is a bit of a tool.
Strikes me as the kind of bloke you'd follow anywhere on the pitch, but wouldn't even follow to the bar off it. Surprised the coaching has gone as well as it has so far.
Absolutely. I think they released Smithies and Bateman early, so potential to buy him out, but I'd imagine he'd cost a bit.
Yeah not 100% sure but think the NRL clubs have paid a fee at times for the likes of Tompkins, Smithies and Williams.
Makes absolute sense, so long as there are clauses to help the players wage go up as I doubt Nsemba is on big money right now.
KPP is out of contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season, so you could get him in at that point and he's got a season and a half to learn the position and the game, so basically a full season more than Burgess.
6ft 6 and 17 stone with lots of potential. Would be less fanfare than Burgess which would be to his benefit. I believe his brother is/was on the Saracens books. Wiki suggests he still is but not sure.
Yeah not 100% sure but think the NRL clubs have paid a fee at times for the likes of Tompkins, Smithies and Williams.
Makes absolute sense, so long as there are clauses to help the players wage go up as I doubt Nsemba is on big money right now.
KPP is out of contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season, so you could get him in at that point and he's got a season and a half to learn the position and the game, so basically a full season more than Burgess.
6ft 6 and 17 stone with lots of potential. Would be less fanfare than Burgess which would be to his benefit. I believe his brother is/was on the Saracens books. Wiki suggests he still is but not sure.
Agree on the fanfare, and the NRL podcast I listen to suggests they think he isn't massively happy at Newcastle anyway, so likely to at least listen to an offer. Podcast reckons he's looking for $600k, so just over £300k, which doesn't feel excessive.
KPP is out of contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season, so you could get him in at that point and he's got a season and a half to learn the position and the game, so basically a full season more than Burgess.
6ft 6 and 17 stone with lots of potential. Would be less fanfare than Burgess which would be to his benefit. I believe his brother is/was on the Saracens books. Wiki suggests he still is but not sure.
Agree on the fanfare, and the NRL podcast I listen to suggests they think he isn't massively happy at Newcastle anyway, so likely to at least listen to an offer. Podcast reckons he's looking for $600k, so just over £300k, which doesn't feel excessive.
Just to confirm - this is something that the board's just spun up out of whole cloth, right? There's no actual rumours that this is an actual thing that might be happening?
6ft 6 and 17 stone with lots of potential. Would be less fanfare than Burgess which would be to his benefit. I believe his brother is/was on the Saracens books. Wiki suggests he still is but not sure.
Agree on the fanfare, and the NRL podcast I listen to suggests they think he isn't massively happy at Newcastle anyway, so likely to at least listen to an offer. Podcast reckons he's looking for $600k, so just over £300k, which doesn't feel excessive.
Just to confirm - this is something that the board's just spun up out of whole cloth, right? There's no actual rumours that this is an actual thing that might be happening?
Puja
Yep it's a slow news day though the player is negotiating for a new contract down under.
6ft 6 and 17 stone with lots of potential. Would be less fanfare than Burgess which would be to his benefit. I believe his brother is/was on the Saracens books. Wiki suggests he still is but not sure.
Agree on the fanfare, and the NRL podcast I listen to suggests they think he isn't massively happy at Newcastle anyway, so likely to at least listen to an offer. Podcast reckons he's looking for $600k, so just over £300k, which doesn't feel excessive.
Just to confirm - this is something that the board's just spun up out of whole cloth, right? There's no actual rumours that this is an actual thing that might be happening?
Puja
Largely me getting over-excited reading the list of potential targets in the Dom Young article. Although I can think of worse uses of an EPS contract.
Ooh hearing that Saints have also enquired about Kpoku! Now that would be a very interesting fit. He and Pollock are very good mates. Only probably Sodeke closer to him, but he ain’t going back to Sarries.
Epaminondas Pules wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 8:21 am
Ooh hearing that Saints have also enquired about Kpoku! Now that would be a very interesting fit. He and Pollock are very good mates. Only probably Sodeke closer to him, but he ain’t going back to Sarries.
So French press reporting Kpoku has signed for Racing till 27 - he qualified for France in 2026
I put this elsewhere, but...
That's pretty worrying - a really nasty direction of travel on this topic.
If one of the best resourced nations can't stop their best young prospects being poached by France, that's indicative of a very unhealthy ecosystem
6ft 6 and 17 stone with lots of potential. Would be less fanfare than Burgess which would be to his benefit. I believe his brother is/was on the Saracens books. Wiki suggests he still is but not sure.
Agree on the fanfare, and the NRL podcast I listen to suggests they think he isn't massively happy at Newcastle anyway, so likely to at least listen to an offer. Podcast reckons he's looking for $600k, so just over £300k, which doesn't feel excessive.
Just to confirm - this is something that the board's just spun up out of whole cloth, right? There's no actual rumours that this is an actual thing that might be happening?
Puja
Just a fun speculative discussion as mentioned based on the Young article. KP-P does have some links to union to be fair.
Epaminondas Pules wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 8:21 am
Ooh hearing that Saints have also enquired about Kpoku! Now that would be a very interesting fit. He and Pollock are very good mates. Only probably Sodeke closer to him, but he ain’t going back to Sarries.
Gods, I hope that's true and not the Midi Olympique story about him extending his contract. Would be incredibly shitty experience to see him play against us in the future.
Epaminondas Pules wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 8:21 am
Ooh hearing that Saints have also enquired about Kpoku! Now that would be a very interesting fit. He and Pollock are very good mates. Only probably Sodeke closer to him, but he ain’t going back to Sarries.
So French press reporting Kpoku has signed for Racing till 27 - he qualified for France in 2026
I put this elsewhere, but...
That's pretty worrying - a really nasty direction of travel on this topic.
If one of the best resourced nations can't stop their best young prospects being poached by France, that's indicative of a very unhealthy ecosystem
Massive shame if we lose him, on so many levels
He’s JIFF qualified in 2026, but the earliest he could play for France is 2029 6 Nations.
Epaminondas Pules wrote: ↑Wed Nov 20, 2024 8:21 am
Ooh hearing that Saints have also enquired about Kpoku! Now that would be a very interesting fit. He and Pollock are very good mates. Only probably Sodeke closer to him, but he ain’t going back to Sarries.
So French press reporting Kpoku has signed for Racing till 27 - he qualified for France in 2026
I put this elsewhere, but...
That's pretty worrying - a really nasty direction of travel on this topic.
If one of the best resourced nations can't stop their best young prospects being poached by France, that's indicative of a very unhealthy ecosystem
Massive shame if we lose him, on so many levels
He’s JIFF qualified in 2026, but the earliest he could play for France is 2029 6 Nations.
So French press reporting Kpoku has signed for Racing till 27 - he qualified for France in 2026
I put this elsewhere, but...
That's pretty worrying - a really nasty direction of travel on this topic.
If one of the best resourced nations can't stop their best young prospects being poached by France, that's indicative of a very unhealthy ecosystem
Massive shame if we lose him, on so many levels
He’s JIFF qualified in 2026, but the earliest he could play for France is 2029 6 Nations.
Thanks - what does JIFF mean?
That he's counted as a "domestically produced player" for the basis of the LNR's rules limiting how many imports each team can pick on a teamsheet. Even though he wouldn't be eligible for France, he'd no longer count as a foreign player from 2026, which would make him very valuable.
He’s JIFF qualified in 2026, but the earliest he could play for France is 2029 6 Nations.
Thanks - what does JIFF mean?
That he's counted as a "domestically produced player" for the basis of the LNR's rules limiting how many imports each team can pick on a teamsheet. Even though he wouldn't be eligible for France, he'd no longer count as a foreign player from 2026, which would make him very valuable.
Puja
Exaxctly that. JIFF - "Joueurs issus des filières de formation" players from training schemes.
