Newcastle Knights 2018 halves plan, will Brock Lamb be chopped?

NOT only are Newcastle bullish about their hopes of retaining local junior Brock Lamb for 2018, they want to lock him up beyond next year.

Star Newcastle signing Mitchell Pearce chats with Brock Lamb.

NOT only are Newcastle bullish about their hopes of retaining local junior Brock Lamb for 2018, they want to lock him up beyond next year.

Lamb’s future has been the source of speculation following the arrival of Mitchell Pearce which threatens to push the talented young playmaker out of Nathan Brown’s top 17.

Manly were rumoured to be hunting his signature for 2018 however the NRL’s salary cap investigation threatens to scupper any hope of them adding to their roster.

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Lamb, 20, is off contract at the end of 2018 and Knights CEO Philip Gardner said the club was not only confident he would wear the red, blue and white next year, they would be in a position to re-sign him.

“He’s with us for 2018 and we hope he’s with us longer,” Gardner said.

“He’s a very important part of where we’re at. Brock is a local junior. He was with me announcing a trial game up there in Maitland because he’s a Maitland junior. He’s a champion young man with a lot of ability.”

Brock Lamb of the Knights is congratulated after kicking a field goal.

Pearce and Connor Watson are expected to form Brown’s scrumbase partnership next year and should Lamb’s game time be limited, he could search for other opportunities before the June 30 transfer deadline.

Lamb seemingly came of age in the final two months of the 2017 season, spearheading the Knights to upset wins over St George Illawarra, Warriors and Parramatta.

Gardner made an impassioned pitch for Lamb to remain, predicting he would play plenty of first-grade.

“If I was advising him, I’d be saying ‘Brock wait for the 29th of June to make any decision’. Because he could be playing a lot of first grade between now and then,” Gardner said.

“He’s got a long career ahead of him and it’s going to be a big competition for his signature in 2019. We’ll be one of those clubs competing for it.

“His attitude about playing with Mitch is first-class. He’s not dropped his head, he’s putting in, he’s proving he’s a quality person and a quality player.

“We want the best for Brock and he’ll be with us in 2018. We need him.”

Originally published as Newcastle Knights 2018 halves plan, will Brock Lamb be chopped?