2020 team

[Mr_Knightside]

Toohey's predicted rd 1 team

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Edrick Lee
3. Bradman Best
4. Gehamat Shibasaki
5. Hymel Hunt
6. Kurt Mann
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. David Klemmer
9. Jayden Brailey
10. Daniel Saifiti
11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon
12. Aidan Guerra
13. Mitch Barnett

Bench: Connor Watson, Tim Glasby, Herman Ese'ese, Sione Mata'utia

That’s a pretty inexperienced centre pairing, have we had a good long term Centre since Mad Dog retired? Gags was good at times but couldn’t defend, I can’t think of any others that have been consistently good in that spot for a long time.

Or second row looks a bit iffy as well, Guerra starting could go either way and Fitz needs to show a bit more week to week to convince me that he’s worth good money long term, he was way too up and down last year and some weeks he just went missing.

Also wouldn’t mind seeing Jacob get into the bench to give us some more size but outside of those bits the team looks ok.

 

[Knight Vision]

Fitz needs to show a bit more week to week to convince me that he’s worth good money long term, he was way too up and down last year and some weeks he just went missing.

He should feel under the pump, was a seriously average season from him ....gets a free pass from most fans. Wouldnt surprise me if he was in reserves.

 

[Knight Vision]

DSaf better be red hot at start of season because if the talk of Barnett, Guerra, Ese’ese, at 13 along with Watson then Glasby could be moved to front meaning hello bench.

Glasby to the bench where he belongs.

 

[Silent Knight]

He should feel under the pump, was a seriously average season from him ....gets a free pass from most fans. Wouldnt surprise me if he was in reserves.

Not from me. I get very cynical and angry when I see a local player just coasting along without doing anything to help the team. It just reminds me of the Hagan era when certain local players thought they had a mortgage on a first-grade spot and yet expected to be carried by their betters (i.e. Joey and Bedsy).

Dan Saifiti and Lachlan Fitzgibbon stuck out like a sore thumb in this regard last season.

 

[Knight76]

Dan Saifiti and Lachlan Fitzgibbon stuck out like a sore thumb in this regard last season.

Dan is a lazy bugger with no fire in the belly. He does what he feels he needs to an nothing more.

I'll be surprised if we see anything from him this season, in fact he got rewarded for fairly average form with an SOO jumper and if he thinks that form is SOO level he is kidding.

 

[Knight76]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/01/12/stat-to-fix-knights-need-to-help-klemmer/

This shows the Knights in last place for running metres last year. And I can only imagine without Klem last season we had a lock on the spoon again. We better pray Klem remains fit for us this year.

Unless of course Dsaf and Jsaf if he plays, plus the rest of the pack can get off their arses and be bothered to put in the required effort.

 

[Old dog]

Am expecting JSaf, Saulo and Ese’ese to keep the likes of DSaf and Glasby pushing to retain spot as neither performed SOO selection last season, DSaf was very lucky.

 

[Knight Vision]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/stats/teams?category=kicking&sortBy=kickMetres

And at the bottom of the ladder in most kicking stats as well. I hope whoever is chosen at 5/8 has a kicking game.

 

[Old dog]

The most obvious is Lino if fit or Crosslands who lacks experience but either is likely better than Mann

 

[Knight Vision]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...d/news-story/5ef45aa65e4d8847757da63d3b9e0080

"19-year-old Crossland is the latest Knights playmaker to be taken under Bell’s wing"

 

[Old dog]

Things are quiet about Levi signing with Manly or isn’t it happening

 

[Frederick]

Things are quiet about Levi signing with Manly or isn’t it happening

You wish it wasn't happening

 

[Old dog]

Thanks Fred, knew I could count on you for info and immediate response

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

One door closes, another opens

 

[Knight Vision]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/01/23/obrien-brings-new-mentality-to-newcastle/

O'Brien brings new mentality to Newcastle
Newcastle Knights players Kalyn Ponga, David Klemmer, Daniel Saifiti and Kurt Mann reflect on the changes incoming coach Adam O'Brien has made since arriving at the club

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

According to Toohey, Mann will definitely start round 1 as 5/8 barring injury.

"It won't please some Knights fans but barring injury between now and then, Kurt Mann will be the five-eighth outside Mitchell Pearce when the season kicks off in March.

He will also be the first player named in the Knights' Nines lineup for an NRL promotion early next week and could be in line to captain the side if Pearce doesn't play in the tournament.

Mann is highly regarded for his toughness and as a leader by coach Adam O'Brien, who says he shouldn't be solely judged on his form last season in the position."

 

[Knight Vision]

According to Toohey, Mann will definitely start round 1 as 5/8 barring injury.

"It won't please some Knights fans but barring injury between now and then, Kurt Mann will be the five-eighth outside Mitchell Pearce when the season kicks off in March.

He will also be the first player named in the Knights' Nines lineup for an NRL promotion early next week and could be in line to captain the side if Pearce doesn't play in the tournament.

Mann is highly regarded for his toughness and as a leader by coach Adam O'Brien, who says he shouldn't be solely judged on his form last season in the position."

I was hoping the young fella Crossland was going to demand selection.

Mann played well when he wasnt injured and made to change position every week. Let's hope he can add a kicking game to his skill set.

Lino is too inconsistent for mine and if he was a first grade regular he would have already been by now. He did have some great games at the back end of the season and Brown constantly dropping him throughout the season would have done nothing for his confidence.

 

[ryana87]

I'm going to give benefit of the doub to the obrien in selecting mann.... Especially if they are calling 9ut last year's form as a poor indicator

 

[Burwood]

Lino is still to resume full training after a shoulder reconstruction and Crossland has had a niggling groin injury most of the offseason. Mann might start the season in the top 13, but hopefully he isn't there when the team is back to full strength.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Lino is still to resume full training after a shoulder reconstruction and Crossland has had a niggling groin injury most of the offseason. Mann might start the season in the top 13, but hopefully he isn't there when the team is back to full strength.

If Mann gets picked, I dare say he's not going to just be just a fill in for Lino or Crossland..