If at first you don't succeed, have another crack.
In the case of Melbourne Storm forward Dale Finucane, that's exactly what the Knights are doing.
The club missed his signature three years ago when Nathan Brown was coach and Finucane opted to remain loyal to the Storm. But with Melbourne now under some real salary cap pressure, a number of rival clubs are circling the 29-year-old middle forward with the Knights right in the mix.
After spending 11 years at the Storm, no-one knows better than coach Adam O'Brien what Finucane would bring to the Knights on and off the field if he was to sign. They enjoy a great relationship as well which has been a positive selling point for the club during negotiations.
Finucane has already attracted an offer from the Cowboys with the Bulldogs and Wests Tigers also interested and is highly regarded across the game.
Just this week, Blues coach Brad Fittler showed how much he rates Finucane by bringing him into the NSW starting side from outside the squad to replace Daniel Saifiti for Origin III and immediately making him vice-captain.
Saifiti has roomed with Finucane at rep level and says he has never come across anyone who prepares better than the Storm forward.
But Finucane's biggest endorsement comes from his current coach Craig Bellamy, who is desperate to keep him at the Melbourne Storm.
"He's one player I'd hate to lose," Bellamy said a few weeks back. "I just love the way he plays. He just turns up every week and puts full effort in for however long he plays. He puts his head where a lot of people wouldn't put their foot [as out photo suggests].
"The other thing around that is what he does off the field as well. The standards that he sets in training and preparation... I don't think I've ever seen anyone that prepares better than Dale Finucane.
"I've been in the game for a long time but I've never seen anyone that sets a better standard on and off the field than Dale."
Given the players Bellamy's had in Melbourne, that's a fair wrap from one of the game's greatest coaches.
No, Finucane is not your dynamic, ball-running, match-winning forward and given he is closing in on 30, he's not coming into his prime. But he's a winner who knows everything there is to know about winning cultures.
At a club crying out for genuine leaders and standard setters like the Knights, he'd be a tremendous asset.
Gags too pricey
We're hearing South Sydney and Queensland centre Dane Gagai has priced himself out of a potential return to the Knights next season - for now.
Gagai, on a reported $750,000 deal at Souths this season, is believed to be chasing around $600,000 for next year, a figure well above what the Knights are believed to have offered.
Pay rise for twins
We told you last week the Knights had already kicked off negotiations with the Saifiti twins, Daniel and Jacob, in a bid to sign the two props long-term, even though both are contracted next season.
Daniel told this week's edition of Toohey's News: The Podcast he and his brother want to be one-club players and should settle their futures in the next few weeks. Both will deservedly get hefty pay rises and could be tied to the club for the next four years.
Meanwhile, winger Hymel Hunt is expected to re-sign with the Knights despite interest elsewhere while back-up hooker Chris Randall and halfback Phoenix Crossland will both be offered new deals by he club.
Knights snare Eel
The Knights have pinched an outstanding young teenage forward from the Parramatta Eels.
Myles Martin, a highly-regarded 17-year-old lock, originally from Bathurst, has signed with Newcastle. The kid is a giant who the Eels were desperate to retain but he and his family weren't fussed with big city life.
Kiwis to bolster Knights women's squad
More than 30 years after Newcastle looked to New Zealand for players like Sam Stewart, George Mann and Tea Ropati to bolster the club in their debut season in the old ARL competition, the Knights are treading a similar path with the birth of their NRL Women's squad.
Coach Blake Green will unveil his squad next week and it's understood it will contain at least eight New Zealand players, including some current Kiwi Ferns, that will give the Knights a huge boost heading into their first season in the expanded competition.
Green's job in getting a team together has been hugely challenging.
Baz's best
House-mates Kalyn Ponga and Connor Watson lead the pack trying to reel in leader Daniel Saifiti after 16 rounds with both polling points in the Knights' 38-0 win over the Cowboys. Dom Young, David Klemmer and Mitch Barnett just missed receiving points.
Knights v Cowboys:3 Kalyn Ponga 2 Jake Clifford 1 Connor Watson
Leader board after Rd 16: 18- Daniel Saifiti. 13- Kalyn Ponga, Connor Watson. 12- Jayden Brailey, Mitch Barnett. 10- Jacob Saifiti. 5- Tyson Frizell, Bradman Best. 4- Brodie Jones. 3- Kurt Mann, Jake Clifford. 1- David Klemmer, Jesse Sue, Phoenix Crossland, Josh King.
