2022 Team

[mozza91]

Mann showed that he can cover Watson’s role pretty easily. He defended really well too. Don’t have an issue with him starting at lock.

 

[PhilGould]

Based on last year he would "easily" replace who ?

To'o or Crichton
Johnson or Paulo
Saab or Garrick
Jennings or JOC
Tupuo or Ikavalu
Dunster or Ferguson

Slot "easily" into a top 6 side ? lol. If Hunt is our best winger we are in all sorts. Fringe first grader in my opinion, a good depth player in the squad and nothing more. You can afford 1 Hunt in the side if the other winger is JOC or Tupou or To'o or Garrick etc

I guarantee not a single winger from a top 6 side will be lining up this year against Hunt and having a sleepless night before the game.

I'd take Hunt over Paulo, Jennings, Ikuvalu, Dunster and last season's version of Ferguson

 

[Knight Tales]

Mann showed that he can cover Watson’s role pretty easily. He defended really well too. Don’t have an issue with him starting at lock.

He did well in the trial. Looks comfortable there.

 

[slotmachine]

It was a trial against a useless dogs side.
I wouldn't blow your Mann load until you see him against the chooks

 

[Sir Galahad]

Mann showed that he can cover Watson’s role pretty easily. He defended really well too. Don’t have an issue with him starting at lock.

Out of last years top 8 ( lock position ) who would Mann be better than in your opinion ?

I'd take Hunt over Paulo, Jennings, Ikuvalu, Dunster and last season's version of Ferguson

Well I chose a random player ( Ikuvalu ) to see if this had any merit ( Fox Stats )

Ikuvalu in 15 games ( 2 less than Hunt ) ran for more mtrs, had 17 LB versus Hunt 6, 69 TB v Hunt 28, and the stat that really matters, the score board - 14 tries v Hunt 4.

After the above I didnt bother to compare the others mentioned.

I suppose after decades of mediocrity Knights fans have grown to accept it and have no issue with it and after a while mediocre is better than outright crap.

 

[Burwood]

I'm happy to give Mann a year in the role and see how it goes. Like Sione, he's another player whose versatility and the coach's eagerness to continually shift him into gaps in the roster has been his downfall. He trains for a specific position and gets his body tuned in the offseason, and then an injury means that he's forced into a completely different role in the team. Halves, hooker, fullback, centres, forwards- he's covered them all, often switching between positions within a game.

He will be an important cog in our new attacking structure, but by no means is he one of our attacking weapons. All he needs to do is be the link man between hooker and the halves/Ponga, and I don't see why he can't fulfil that role in the side. I think his running game and ball playing will also be a strength more than a weakness.

 

[slotmachine]

Like Sione he's just not very good.

 

[Burwood]

Like Sione he's just not very good.

Sione was well and truly stuffed over once he hit first grade- moved all around the backs and eventually into the forwards. Brown's hard-on for a player who could shift between the centres and backrow to cover an injury midgame didn't help. The failed Joe Wardle experiment comes to mind.

 

[Sir Galahad]

Like Sione, Fitz, Hunt etc Mann is a good depth player, can plug a spot caused by injuries but these types of players dont take us to the big dance.

I can see it now, minute left remaining in a major semi 2 points behind on the board and 30 out from the opposition tryline , Mann moves into first receiver, and knocks on.

 

[Loose Cannon]

Sione was well and truly stuffed over once he hit first grade- moved all around the backs and eventually into the forwards. Brown's hard-on for a player who could shift between the centres and backrow to cover an injury midgame didn't help. The failed Joe Wardle experiment comes to mind.

“Utilities” are the most overrated “position” in a squad if you have a coach who can’t see inadequacy.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

I'd take Hunt over Paulo, Jennings, Ikuvalu, Dunster and last season's version of Ferguson

Based on last year he would "easily" replace who ?

To'o or Crichton
Johnson or Paulo
Saab or Garrick
Jennings or JOC
Tupuo or Ikavalu
Dunster or Ferguson

Slot "easily" into a top 6 side ? lol. If Hunt is our best winger we are in all sorts. Fringe first grader in my opinion, a good depth player in the squad and nothing more. You can afford 1 Hunt in the side if the other winger is JOC or Tupou or To'o or Garrick etc

I guarantee not a single winger from a top 6 side will be lining up this year against Hunt and having a sleepless night before the game.

Paulo
Jennings
Ikavalu
Fergo
Dunster

All guys id put behind Hunt if they were at the Knights. Hell, even Garrick is pretty unimpressive outside of his goal kicking

Hunts biggest plus is his defence and its nearly always overlooked by most fans in favour of more flashiness. He very very rarely makes the wrong decision and sticks his tackles.

 

[Old dog]

The biggest problem, besides lacking talent, for a versatile 14 as opposed to players 1-13 is the lack of preparation as you are unaware of likely opponent such as 6 v 6 or 9 v 9 you can’t concentrate your preparation of studying weaknesses and strengths of individuals or focusing on a set position.

 

[Knight Tales]

It was a trial against a useless dogs side.
I wouldn't blow your Mann load until you see him against the chooks

No one is getting ahead of themselves. Doesn’t mean we ignore the fact he played solidly.

 

[Allstar Knights]

Probably an unpopular opinion but oh well.

I've been a big Hunt fan and last year he had excuses with injuries, but he definitely wasn't as dominant with his hitups or as safe as he usually is last year. I thought maybe the injuries are starting to affect his game more as he's getting a bit older too (28 isn't old but he's been around for a while).

 

[Yosh]

Out of last years top 8 ( lock position ) who would Mann be better than in your opinion ?

Well I chose a random player ( Ikuvalu ) to see if this had any merit ( Fox Stats )

Ikuvalu in 15 games ( 2 less than Hunt ) ran for more mtrs, had 17 LB versus Hunt 6, 69 TB v Hunt 28, and the stat that really matters, the score board - 14 tries v Hunt 4.

After the above I didnt bother to compare the others mentioned.

I suppose after decades of mediocrity Knights fans have grown to accept it and have no issue with it and after a while mediocre is better than outright crap.

I think that's a tad unfair. You chose players who played in far superior teams and systems. If Hunt was in that system, he probably would have done just as well if not better. If Ikuvalu played outside of Mann, I doubt he could have done any better than Hunt.

 

[slotmachine]

Hunt was in one of those systems and he wasn't a first choice player.

 

[Sir Galahad]

I think that's a tad unfair. You chose players who played in far superior teams and systems.

That is precisely my point.

If we are aiming to be a "superior team" players like Mann and Hunt wouldnt be in the 17 or at the very least ( in the case of bog average Hunt ) be in the conversation as the best winger at the club.

These players dont get ya to the big dance let alone win it for you, they are nothing more than depth ( in case of emergency break glass use only )

If they were anymore than average they would still be at the Storm, Rabbits, St George etc etc where they were, as they are now - fringe first graders.

 

[Sir Galahad]

Paulo
Jennings
Ikavalu
Fergo
Dunster

All guys id put behind Hunt if they were at the Knights. Hell, even Garrick is pretty unimpressive outside of his goal kicking

Hunts biggest plus is his defence and its nearly always overlooked by most fans in favour of more flashiness. He very very rarely makes the wrong decision and sticks his tackles.

Ikavalu stats last year take a giant dump on Hunt from a great height,

Garrick broke a Manly record for points scored,
some of the tries he scored and set up were sublime ( 23 tries last season )
goal kicks at 81% ,
ran for nearly 4,000 mtrs
45 line breaks
116 tackle breaks

Yep "pretty unimpressive outside of his goal kicking"

I'll take a no name winger that scores 23 tries a season and can kick at that percentage any day of the week and twice on Sundays. - value to the team ? Gold !!!

and those players you mentioned arent in the conversation of being the best winger at their respective clubs.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Ikavalu stats last year take a giant dump on Hunt from a great height,

Garrick broke a Manly record for points scored,
some of the tries he scored and set up were sublime ( 23 tries last season )
goal kicks at 81% ,
ran for nearly 4,000 mtrs
45 line breaks
116 tackle breaks

Yep "pretty unimpressive outside of his goal kicking"

I'll take a no name winger that scores 23 tries a season and can kick at that percentage any day of the week and twice on Sundays. - value to the team ? Gold !!!

and those players you mentioned arent in the conversation of being the best winger at their respective clubs.

Garrick plays on the end of a far superior back line as has been pointed out mate, as did Ikavalu. Put them in a 2021 Knights team and you think they get anywhere near those numbers?

I know you'll ignore it and blast on anyway but I remain staunch on Hunts value to our side. No one's forcing you to agree

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Hunt was in one of those systems and he wasn't a first choice player.

When? He was a first choice winger at Souths. He was a young rookie at Melb