TOOHEY'S NEWS: Knights put the boot into mining deal critics plus young stars suffer on-line abuse

That's the word from Knights CEO Phil Gardner, who has slammed critics as "short-sighted" for wanting the club to dump its association with the mining industry because of environmental concerns.

The Knights and NSW Mining have a lucrative association that is now into its ninth year with a further two years left on the current sponsorship agreement between the two parties. But if Gardner gets his way, the deal will go on "forever".

"People are entitled to their opinion on it but we are very proud of our association with NSW Mining and mining in general," he told us.

"I think people are very short-sighted when they don't see the importance of mining to this country. Mining and agriculture are the reasons we have the standard of living we have.

"Our schools, our hospitals, our entire health system - how would we fund it - we wouldn't be able to fund any of that. We need all of it and we need to be rational and support all those industries that keep the country humming.

"People are entitled to their views on it but anyone that takes the position that we shouldn't be aligned with mining, you have to feel sorry for them. I hope our association continues forever. From a sponsorship perspective, we are very fortunate to have their support and we'll always support them.

"It would be a very small minority who would not be supportive of miners and their families. We should be standing up for them, not putting them down."

As for the orange jerseys which are worn twice a year, a change is not in the offing despite the concerns of fans who believe they are cursed. The calls for a change escalated last Sunday after the Knights lost to the Dragons and Mitchell Pearce tore his pec for the second time in three seasons while wearing the hi-vis jumper.

"I think the boys take pride in wearing them to represent mining families," Gardner said. "But if people feel strongly about it and want to vote with their feet and not come to our games because we wear a mining jersey twice a year then they are entitled to do that."

The Knights are in the market for a centre and we're hearing Souths' Dane Gagai has made it known to the club he would love nothing more than to have a home-coming in Newcastle next season with his $700,000-a-year deal up at the Bunnies this year. But he's going to need to take a savage pay-cut for it to happen

"We know he'd love to come back here, it's where he wants to be and we think really highly of him because he's a great guy and a great clubman," CEO Gardner said. "But while you'd never say never, my personal view at this stage is I doubt if we could afford Dane."

We're told Knights fullback utility Tex Hoy is close to signing a new two-year deal with the club.

There are also suggestions the Knights are now keen to try and keep both Connor Watson and Kurt Mann beyond the end of the season when it appeared likely only one of them would be retained.

Knights coach Adam O'Brien says only the club's crippling injury toll stopped him from fighting Jacob Saifiti's alleged shoulder charge offence at the judiciary during the week.

"I've seen enough discrepancies in charges this season to think we were a good chance of getting Jacob off," O'Brien told us. "But in the end, we couldn't risk losing him for a further week given our injuries."

Knights coaching advisor Anthony Seibold is a huge fan of Rory Kostjasyn's coaching potential.

Seibold told this week's Toohey's News podcast he rates Knights assistant Kostjasyn as one of the best young coaches in the NRL.

Young Knights players including Tex Hoy, Gehamat Shibasaki and Dom Young have been forced to shut down their social media accounts due to on-line abuse.

Social media cowards, masquerading as "fans", have taken aim at the trio, who've been left rattled and in need of club support.

Police have been contacted but the club is reluctant to go public with their anger, believing it will only give the abusers oxygen.

Knights coaching advisor Anthony Seibold, a high profile victim of vicious social media trolls, is actively seeking changes to the laws to protect people from on-line abuse.

A herculean 80 minute performance from Daniel Saifiti against the Dragons last Sunday has seen the Knights prop clear out in the race for Toohey's News player of the year honours.

After four rounds, Saifiti is on eight points after picking up his second man of the match award and is now four clear of his nearest rival, hooker Jayden Brailey. Brailey was awarded two points against the Dragons with everywhere man Connor Watson grabbing a point.

Current leader board: 8- Daniel Saifiti 4- Jayden Brailey, Connor Watson 3- Bradman Best, Mitch Barnett 1- David Klemmer, Tyson Frizell.