What will it take?

[Joel-22]

How much losing and overall ineptitude will it take for you to stop supporting the club?

I'm a lifelong supporter (started watching and analysing the game at about 7 yo) but I have to admit I've never been tested like this before.

We look like having the same side with the addition of a 19 year old kid. The same side who by the conclusion of the 2017 season would have won 2 games in 2 years.

Brown is making all the right calls but he isn't God. He can't physically force players to sign with the club.

It seems to me that unless things improve dramatically supporting the knights is a futile (if not pernicious) task.

I'm certain that I could never bring myself to support another club. It seems to me I'm left with two options;

1) keep supporting this heaping steam of shit calling themselves an NRL club

2) walk away from rugby league all together - stop going to home games, stop watching televised away games, stop visiting this forum etc.


Does anyone else feel this way? I can't be the only one.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Yeah it's certainly the toughest it's been supporting this club in 30 years. Future, at least the immediate one, isn't looking much brighter right now either

It will honestly take the club getting booted for me to move on and we all know the likelihood of the NRL doing that is next to none, so I guess I'm here for the duration

I was at a pretty low point after going to the Titans game the other week but taking my son down to the fence to see the players, hearing and seeing the hurt from them actually bouyed me a bit.

I've got to believe this club will climb back. What choice do I have

 

[Hardcore_Fan]

I bl33d red n bloo

 

[macavity]

If there is a Newcastle Knights, I will support them.

I often won't like doing so.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

We are all sadomasochistic. We need our dose of punishment.
I'll continue with the frustration while tearing the rest of my hair out and fluctuating between putting the schit on the club and everyone else and giving praise. This can all happen within just a single game.

 

[AusKnightRKO]

Won't take anything, some teams go through really bad patches, happens in all sports, like for anyone who follows the NBA, we are nowhere near as bad as the Brooklyn nets, or NFL in the Cleveland Browns. Newcastle will bounce back and it will just take time.

 

[Swarzey]

Seen enough teams throughout the globe, in different codes suffer through much more and succeed to feel backed in believing that eventually this period ends. THIS current situation has been ongoing for four years; everything beforehand really doesn't measure up. Yes we've been incompetent and lacking results since 2002 with two or three years since we could be proud of, yet those results and everything before 2014 isn't unique; it's common, it's standard across the NRL. But it's just four years and that in the grand scheme of things is insignificant and if just four years is too much to handle for someone then I would be calling them a casual supporter more than anything with substance.

If you can't tough it out after just four years then maybe supporting this club or any other club isn't the best idea; no matter how long you've supported this club.

This whole thing isn't rocket science and it comes down to one or two signings - one halfback, one leader in the forwards or both - that goes a long way. Someone sooner or later is going to take the money we throw at them, the entire Graham situation seems if he does leave - the slightest of possibilities - he's going to be coming to us. And I know many Knights fans love to beat the situation up and exaggerate every f**king detail to make it seem more dire than what it is, but nothing changes the reality that many clubs have gone through worse than us and survived.

And maybe I'm also the only one thinking this side - for all but one game - seemed likely to win a number of games this year until we lost guys like Buhrer and Barnett.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

How much losing and overall ineptitude will it take for you to stop supporting the club?

I'm a lifelong supporter (started watching and analysing the game at about 7 yo) but I have to admit I've never been tested like this before.

We look like having the same side with the addition of a 19 year old kid. The same side who by the conclusion of the 2017 season would have won 2 games in 2 years.

Brown is making all the right calls but he isn't God. He can't physically force players to sign with the club.

It seems to me that unless things improve dramatically supporting the knights is a futile (if not pernicious) task.

I'm certain that I could never bring myself to support another club. It seems to me I'm left with two options;

1) keep supporting this heaping steam of shit calling themselves an NRL club

2) walk away from rugby league all together - stop going to home games, stop watching televised away games, stop visiting this forum etc.


Does anyone else feel this way? I can't be the only one.

I personally had a worse time '12-'14 when Bennett was here....

I wish there was a bit more potential in the squad, but at least this lot seem to care.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Hahah, when i read the title, i thought the question would be "what will it take for us to finally be competitive?"

My first thought: "mullen might have been on the right track with the old jabby-jabby..."

 

[Hardcore_Fan]

Seen enough teams throughout the globe, in different codes suffer through much more and succeed to feel backed in believing that eventually this period ends. THIS current situation has been ongoing for four years; everything beforehand really doesn't measure up. Yes we've been incompetent and lacking results since 2002 with two or three years since we could be proud of, yet those results and everything before 2014 isn't unique; it's common, it's standard across the NRL. But it's just four years and that in the grand scheme of things is insignificant and if just four years is too much to handle for someone then I would be calling them a casual supporter more than anything with substance.

If you can't tough it out after just four years then maybe supporting this club or any other club isn't the best idea; no matter how long you've supported this club.

This whole thing isn't rocket science and it comes down to one or two signings - one halfback, one leader in the forwards or both - that goes a long way. Someone sooner or later is going to take the money we throw at them, the entire Graham situation seems if he does leave - the slightest of possibilities - he's going to be coming to us. And I know many Knights fans love to beat the situation up and exaggerate every f**king detail to make it seem more dire than what it is, but nothing changes the reality that many clubs have gone through worse than us and survived.

And maybe I'm also the only one thinking this side - for all but one game - seemed likely to win a number of games this year until we lost guys like Buhrer and Barnett.

Been more than 4 years of shit.

 

[Spot On]

Seen enough teams throughout the globe, in different codes suffer through much more and succeed to feel backed in believing that eventually this period ends. THIS current situation has been ongoing for four years; everything beforehand really doesn't measure up. Yes we've been incompetent and lacking results since 2002 with two or three years since we could be proud of, yet those results and everything before 2014 isn't unique; it's common, it's standard across the NRL. But it's just four years and that in the grand scheme of things is insignificant and if just four years is too much to handle for someone then I would be calling them a casual supporter more than anything with substance.

If you can't tough it out after just four years then maybe supporting this club or any other club isn't the best idea; no matter how long you've supported this club.

This whole thing isn't rocket science and it comes down to one or two signings - one halfback, one leader in the forwards or both - that goes a long way. Someone sooner or later is going to take the money we throw at them, the entire Graham situation seems if he does leave - the slightest of possibilities - he's going to be coming to us. And I know many Knights fans love to beat the situation up and exaggerate every f**king detail to make it seem more dire than what it is, but nothing changes the reality that many clubs have gone through worse than us and survived.

And maybe I'm also the only one thinking this side - for all but one game - seemed likely to win a number of games this year until we lost guys like Buhrer and Barnett.

A great post. Good to read an opinion that has actually had some thought and logic put into it. A few years of shit from a sporting team is nothing. A few might need to toughen up and stick solid and support what Brown has planned all along and give him the time needed to finish the job. A tanty won't help. Time and patience will.

I couldn't agree more with you more Swarzey.

 

[macavity]

The difference between the teams you mention and is, swarzey, is they have a hard cap (or luxury tax) and draft to rely on.

 

[mozza91]

If you stop supporting the side because they're losing your a weak piece of shit who was never a decent supporter in the first place.

I can understand someone who's a season ticket holder not renewing their membership though. It's expensive and you get very little value for money with the Knights. But to stop following them or even worse change sides, that makes you a total f**kwit imo.

 

[perverse]

Won't take anything, some teams go through really bad patches, happens in all sports, like for anyone who follows the NBA, we are nowhere near as bad as the Brooklyn nets, or NFL in the Cleveland Browns. Newcastle will bounce back and it will just take time.

I won't, judge you if you want, to use more full stops, in the future.

A great post. Good to read an opinion that has actually had some thought and logic put into it. A few years of shit from a sporting team is nothing. A few might need to toughen up and stick solid and support what Brown has planned all along and give him the time needed to finish the job. A tanty won't help. Time and patience will.

I couldn't agree more with you more Swarzey.

You can take my tanties away from me over my cold, dead body.

And my own thoughts to OP...

Supporting a team is more than about winning or losing, and it's about more than financial investment, and it's about more than being positive or negative too. For mine it's just about time investment and how the team makes you feel. I've seen a lot of different kinds of supporters, conversed with many and over the years been many different kinds myself... but the one thing that never tends to change is the jubilation of a win or the gut-wrenching disappointment of a loss.

Most casual and/or fair-weather supporters can happily watch us win or lose, finish their beer and get on with their day. None of them scamper back to a forum to rip shreds off their under-performers or praise their players that put in. If you've found your way here then you are likely the in a very high percentile of people who give a shit about our team.

Back to the depressing state of the club. Winning is a bit like a drug, and we haven't had a good fix for a long time. The most our dealer will let us do is lick the inside of a baggy every now and then. I can't promise that he'll ever give us another hit, but I won't be as hungry for it if I don't stay addicted. Going through these shitty times and watching the team grow is what eventually makes success that much sweeter.

We all want the team to win. I think it's reasonable, or even rational to question your support of the team at the moment. Everyone has a crisis of faith from time to time - especially after such sustained mediocrity and with grim prospects in front of us. I think Swarzey is correct in that it can all change very quickly in Rugby League, or any sport. All you can do at the moment is laugh at our misfortune, and wait for the wind to change. Group hug, everybody.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Very well put pervy

 

[Swarzey]

The difference between the teams you mention and is, swarzey, is they have a hard cap (or luxury tax) and draft to rely on.

I'll use a case from the NRL and something more recent then.

Few years ago Cronulla were headed for financial ruin and this was before the ASADA scandal. Future was uncertain, like ours. Media beat up stories about being moved elsewhere, like us. Couldn't sign anyone despite having money to do so, like us. Cronulla wasn't and still isn't like Storm or Brisbane or Bulldogs or Easts; their fortunes changed off the back of meager signings and out of the ASADA scandal - proverbial tough times - they had a group of players committed to wearing the jumper with passion.

It worked out for them, we have one of the people critical to their success.

We'll be fine.

 

[Spot On]

Lol....

Well things wouldn't be the same without a Pervy tanty would it.

However it won't help the performance of the team.

Some are just going to have to suck it up until Brown is sacked or the NRL change the TPA rules or we get very lucky with recruitment.

 

[Johns Magic]

When we have a plethora of 20 year old African-Americans playing park footy for Kurri and boning local Newcastle teens every weekend and still can't win a game, that's when I'll throw the towel in.

 

[Hawkins]

Was 2011 the last finals appearance and without sounding like a bag of dicks is that the longest current streak in the NRL? 2012 - 2017 no finals?

 

[Apey]

Was 2011 the last finals appearance and without sounding like a bag of dicks is that the longest current streak in the NRL? 2012 - 2017 no finals?

2013