NRL shorts: Dylan Brown says Knights move is not about money, Tino ready to fire for the Gold Coast Titans

Welcome to the NRL Briefing for Wednesday, March 12th. ABC Sport will update this report throughout the day to bring you the latest from the NRL.

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Dylan Brown claims security, not money, was the main driver behind his agreement to join the Newcastle Knights, in what has become the richest and longest deal in NRL history. The New Zealand international will become the highest-paid player in the NRL next season, having signed a 10-year deal worth up to $13 million. The 24-year-old will leave the Parramatta Eels at the end of this season.

Brown informed his teammates of the decision on Monday, less than 24 hours after the Eels kicked off their 2025 campaign under new coach Jason Ryles with a 56-18 thrashing at the hands of the Melbourne Storm. "For me, it was never about the money, it was about the 10 years of security," Brown said. "I signed a deal previously (in December 2022) with Parramatta Eels, that was 10 years as well, purely based on security."

"I never wanted to leave, I had some discussions with Parramatta Eels, they put their best foot forward but the Knights' offer was too hard to refuse. The length of the deal was the key, not the money, but of course, it is a lot of money." Brown is expected to transition from the five-eighth position to become the Newcastle Knights' primary organiser at halfback. Knights legend Andrew Johns, among others, has expressed concerns about Brown's ability to handle the halfback role. Throughout his Eels career, Brown has played second fiddle to halfback partner Mitchell Moses and has struggled to control the team when Moses has been absent.

"Obviously, I've played my whole career at six," Brown said. "(As a seven) I'm learning on the run, there's nothing that's going to happen quick. I'm willing to learn, I'm willing to take the challenge." — George Clarke

North Queensland Cowboys coach Todd Payten has warned all of his players that any of them could be dropped if defensive lapses persist. Payten dropped Queensland Origin back-rower Jeremiah Nanai after the Cowboys' 42-12 first-round thrashing at the hands of the Manly Sea Eagles, and it wasn't just because of one poor performance.

If it was just about one game, then others would be feeling the coach's wrath ahead of Saturday night's clash with the Cronulla Sharks. Nanai had been criticised for his overall defensive output last year. Against the Manly Sea Eagles, he missed three tackles and made 23, but the problem wasn't just the numbers, but also areas like communication and effort. The 22-year-old, recognised by Payten as an "elite attacking player", spoke before the Sea Eagles game about his determination to improve his "defensive actions" this year. It was a good intention, but he failed to translate those good intentions into actions. He will now spend some time with the Northern Pride in the Queensland Cup.

"Jeremiah … needs to improve some parts of his game defensively, and he'll get some opportunity to do that in Queensland Cup," Payten said. "It wasn't an easy decision, but I just felt like it was important for the team, if we want to improve as a team, that defence comes first." Former Canberra and Leigh Leopards forward Kai O'Donnell will replace Nanai to make his Cowboys debut. "He's super fit and he'll work hard for his teammates. He's played some really good football in England and has wanted to be a Cowboy since he was a kid," Payten said.

Cowboys co-captain Tom Dearden had a tough night against the Manly Sea Eagles, partnering Nanai and centre Zac Laybutt on the left edge. The Australia and Queensland Origin playmaker missed an uncharacteristic six tackles. "We had a really honest review, we certainly weren't up to scratch physically, and that's where we're looking to bounce back," Dearden said. "If I'm honest, I don't think (the left edge) was up to scratch defensively. We missed some crucial tackles that led to tries. We need to be better in that area." — Joel Gould

Tino Fa'asuamaleaui says he's ready to return to his best for the Gold Coast Titans. A combination of the wisdom of a rehabilitation guru and the application of cutting-edge technology has Gold Coast Titans captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui primed for a return to his peak. The 25-year-old Queensland and Australia forward feels like he's reached a new level mentally and physically after completing a two-week training camp in the United States last year with highly sought-after athletic reconditioning and movement coach Bill Knowles.

The Titans captain suffered an ACL tear in round three last year against the Canterbury Bulldogs at Belmore Sports Ground. In a symmetry of sorts, he will make his NRL return against the Bulldogs at the same venue on Sunday. Knowles has also helped Tom Trbojevic, Ryan Papenhuyzen, and Latrell Mitchell recover from injuries. His impact on Fa'asuamaleaui has been lasting. "I learned a lot about the body, from how we train and how tireless it was — from early mornings to late nights," he said.

"To have one-on-one training with someone like Bill was awesome, but the biggest thing I got out of it was the mental side of things. Putting the mental side of things together with the physical side of things really built my confidence to be able to take that next step in my rehab. The best thing about it is that all that knowledge stays in my head. It's hopefully going to take me to the next level. I'm still trying to do a lot of things throughout training and before and after training. I'm glad I got to learn new things and get better physically and mentally."

The Titans warhorse likes to leave no stone unturned. That's why he visited Sydney-based consultancy Pitch Ready in January, an external company that specialises in elite athlete recovery and return to full training. They put Fa'asuamaleaui through a series of strength and power tests, utilising 3D motion analysis, assessing him as he changed direction at high speed. "To be honest, it was awesome to see the technology we have for rehab and injuries," he said. "We did a lot of tests on the computer and a lot of technology on my whole body that could see how I was moving and calculate and record everything."

"They gave me a lot of feedback on things I needed to improve and things I was doing well. It was another crucial step in my rehab. I still feel like I can improve a lot, but I believe I can definitely get to a better level than I was before." With Fa'asuamaleaui lining up alongside current or recent Queensland Origin forwards Moeaki Fotuaika, David Fifita, and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Queensland hopeful Beau Fermor, there's a feeling the Titans roster is the best it's been since the team that made the preliminary final in 2010. — Joel Gould