Toohey's News: why Phil Gardner reckons retirement talk is 'premature'

Rumours surrounding Gardner's future at the Knights have suggested he is preparing to step aside after almost seven years at the helm in a move that would open the door for general manager of football Peter Parr to become Newcastle's new CEO sometime in 2025.

Gardner has been in the dual role of CEO of both the NRL club and Wests Group since taking over from club legend Matt Gidley at the Knights when Wests assumed ownership in late 2017.

But while acknowledging a succession plan has been spoken about with the Wests board, he labeled the timeframe as "premature".

"It will obviously happen somewhere in the foreseeable future but next year is premature," Gardner told us when asked about the speculation.

"There's still a lot to be done - a lot happening, particularly in pathways. There is a strategy and a vision that needs to be managed through."

Aside from establishing Newcastle Knights junior academies on the Central Coast, Upper Hunter and Mid North Coast, Wests are planning to build a $5 million grandstand on one of the pathways fields at the Centre of Excellence for the Knights' junior teams as well as constructing a boarding house for young players at Lambton that should be completed sometime next year.

Towering young Kiwi prop Sebastian Su'a is being groomed as a potential long-term replacement for Daniel Saifiti if Saifiti departs the club at the end of the season.

Su'a, who has featured in 14 games for the Knights in NSW Cup this season, will join the club's top 30 roster for the first time next season alongside another highly promising prop, 18-year-old Cody Hopwood.

The Knights currently have 24 of their top 30 roster spots filled for next season. If Saifiti is picked up by another club, that would leave seven positions available.

We understand newly promoted backrower-centre Tom Cant is on the verge of securing a new deal that would see him elevated from development to top 30 after knocking back interest from a number of rival clubs including the North Queensland Cowboys.

The likes of home-grown forwards Mat Croker and Brodie Jones and versatile Enari Tuala are also tipped to be offered new contracts over the next few weeks.

Croker enhanced his chances of an extension with his best performance of the season against the Raiders last Sunday while Jones' form has been strong for several weeks.

The fate of off-contract centre Krystian Mapapalangi may rest with his form over the next few weeks.

Rookie Knights five-eighth Will Pryce will need a big game against Manly on Sunday to keep Tyson Gamble out of the No.6 jersey for Saturday week's clash against the Broncos.

Gamble is set to return from a long injury lay-off.

Knights recruitment boss Peter O'Sullivan has denied he is planning to bring his halfback son Sean to Newcastle when his deal at the Dolphins expires at the end of next season. "That won't be happening," O'Sullivan told us. "I can totally rule that out. I wouldn't do it to him."

The out-of-favour Sean O'Sullivan has been restricted to just two games in the NRL this season due to injury and the form of young gun Isaiya Katoa but has been named on the bench for tonight's clash against the Rabbitohs.

Is there a tougher gig in coaching than being in charge of a NSW Cup side?

Not if you are a Knights' Cup coach.

Remarkably, over the past 10 years since 2015, the Knights have had eight different Cup coaches with current Maitland coach Matt Lantry [2015-16] the only one to hold down the job for two full seasons during that period. The likes of Simon Woolford, Rory Kostjasyn [promoted to Knights NRL assistant], Tony Gleeson, Andrew Ryan, Mark O'Meley and Michael Monaghan have come and gone. With current coach Ronny Griffiths departing at the end of this season, the Knights will appoint their seventh Cup coach in seven years in 2025.

Rd 18: Knights v Raiders: 3 Dane Gagai 2 Greg Marzhew 1 Mat Croker

Standings: 15 Dane Gagai 10 Dylan Lucas, Bradman Best 9 Kai Pearce-Paul 8 Kalyn Ponga 6 Adam Elliott 5 David Armstrong, Leo Thompson, Tyson Frizell, Greg Marzhew 4 Jackson Hastings 3 Phoenix Crossland