2022 Team

[Sir Galahad]

Could mean he was seriously considering other options before but has now decided to stay here too...

he says 2 years ago he had the next for years planned.....the goal posts always change.

To me it doesnt sound good. His best buddy left Newcastle so he could win a premiership and get the best out of himself. this in itself makes me wonder about AOB ability to coach.

 

[Sir Galahad]

I doubt it. If Kalyn was truly committed to the club and wanted to put all this speculation to bed he could just activate his option right now.

This is the way I see it. Quite obviously he isnt certain about the club's direction.

 

[Yosh]

I totally understand Connor's decision to leave. However, it feels like a dog move on his part. We gave him a lifeline when he was unwanted at the Roosters, nursed him back to full health multiple times over the years and bsdically made him into the best utility player in the NRL. Then he leaves us..

 

[Jono078]

Could mean he was seriously considering other options before but has now decided to stay here too...

No I don’t think that is the case, or how I interpret it. He said he had his 4 year plan sorted and now it’s changed so he’s reevaluating.

I think the first 4-6 weeks will show where he and the Knights are at. He’s had a full pre-season but didn’t show much in the trials. Not prepared to write him off for that but basically the jury is still out.

 

[Sir Galahad]

I totally understand Connor's decision to leave. However, it feels like a dog move on his part. We gave him a lifeline when he was unwanted at the Roosters, nursed him back to full health multiple times over the years and bsdically made him into the best utility player in the NRL. Then he leaves us..

Watson was on the field around half the time on his first contract, so with the acception of his last year he was extremely poor value.

Talked the talk though about wanting to win a Premiership for this town and these supporters blah blah ( same as Ponga is saying now ) then up and left.

If you like AOB or not it's concerning that Watson doesnt view the club as winning a Premiership and his close mate probably is thinking the same - the question is why ?

 

[slotmachine]

Because we're not that close to winning a premiership?

 

[Knight Tales]

If KP leaves then O’Brien will need to show something we have not yet seen in order to restore confidence in his ability and leadership going forward.

 

[Burwood]

Good write up on Lee in, of all places, abc news today:

“It's been almost 500 days and counting since the greatest night of Edrick Lee's rugby league life, but the Knights flyer still still doesn't know when he'll play again.”

Almost 500 days since his Origin heroics, Edrick Lee is closing in on a comeback

Almost 500 days since his last game, Queensland State of Origin hero Edrick Lee is edging closer to an NRL comeback.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Mr_Knightside]

People need to calm down about the KP talk. Both he and his father have stated up until the last couple of weeks that he wants to win a comp here. We haven’t even played an NRL game yet this year so what would have changed so drastically that KP would re-evaluate everything.

He hasn’t committed yet because he doesn’t have to. He’s totally within his rights to wait until the contract deadline to re-commit.

 

[perverse]

I don't know how we're not used to just ignoring the speculation at this point. Don't you all get fatigued from it and just stop giving a shit? I don't even read Ponga articles anymore, and haven't for quite some time. There will always be speculation about his future when he's one of the most sought after signatures in the game - and we're not a premiership threat.

Until he signs a new deal, just ignore it. You'll drive yourselves mad having the same old conversations about it. Nothing new is being said - and hasn't been for years. When he signs another deal, there will be something new to discuss.

 

[Sir Galahad]

I don't know how we're not used to just ignoring the speculation at this point. Don't you all get fatigued from it and just stop giving a shit? I don't even read Ponga articles anymore, and haven't for quite some time. There will always be speculation about his future when he's one of the most sought after signatures in the game - and we're not a premiership threat.

Until he signs a new deal, just ignore it. You'll drive yourselves mad having the same old conversations about it. Nothing new is being said - and hasn't been for years. When he signs another deal, there will be something new to discuss.

yeh I'm the same usually. Murdoch press is always full of outrage and made up nonesense. Hradly news really.

But Ponga's comments have certainly got my attention and I'd more sad that it would mean a number of players have now decided we arent headed in a good direction than I am about Ponga missing from the club.

 

[ryan.a87]

End of the day….if he leaves, we have Bailey Hodgson pretty much ready to go and a spare million in the cap to go after another marquee player

Problem is…I can’t think of someone who is worth a mill that is close to being off contract soon

only players I consider to be worth that much are Cleary and Turbo…..and at a big stretch, Munster

 

[slotmachine]

I'd more sad that it would mean a number of players have now decided we arent headed in a good direction than I am about Ponga missing from the club.

I don't think we're a side that's just going to pop up and win the comp from nowhere, it's going to be a slow grind to the top. Start with making the finals every year, then look to compete with the top 4 sides.

If Knights miss the finals this year then the players leaving are probably right.

 

[slotmachine]

Problem is…I can’t think of someone who is worth a mill that is close to being off contract soon

only players I consider to be worth that much are Cleary and Turbo…..and at a big stretch, Munster

Knights will find it difficult to attract elite players and wouldn't be able to just go out and sign a ponga equivalent. I don't think we would win more games trading KP on $1m for 2 x 500k players.

We've got a nice chunk of cap space free at the moment and no one to spend it on, it's a terrible time to be in the market with the dolphins needing to create a squad from scratch.

 

[Knight Tales]

Knights will find it difficult to attract elite players and wouldn't be able to just go out and sign a ponga equivalent. I don't think we would win more games trading KP on $1m for 2 x 500k players.

We've got a nice chunk of cap space free at the moment and no one to spend it on, it's a terrible time to be in the market with the dolphins needing to create a squad from scratch.

It is, in part, why Zammit is in the UK. The Dolphins threat is real. I think a pathways setup for top emerging ESL talent is a wise move by us.

 

[Burwood]

It’s a shame we can’t have an academy or strong connections with a region in England to help identify and bring these young players through. I’d love to get them over here as 16-17 year olds so they can learn our systems etc, but not really practical due to home sickness etc.

 

[Old dog]

It’s a shame we can’t have an academy or strong connections with a region in England to help identify and bring these young players through. I’d love to get them over here as 16-17 year olds so they can learn our systems etc, but not really practical due to home sickness etc.

We can’t do it with our locals so what makes you think we can succeed with England youngsters. Teach our 16-17y/o and pick the proven good Poms at 18-20

 

[Knight Tales]

The talent in the UK is very impressive skill wise. I know the NRL is a lot quicker in terms of pressure on players decision making, but they are not scared to move the ball over there.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Knights will find it difficult to attract elite players and wouldn't be able to just go out and sign a ponga equivalent. I don't think we would win more games trading KP on $1m for 2 x 500k players.

We've got a nice chunk of cap space free at the moment and no one to spend it on, it's a terrible time to be in the market with the dolphins needing to create a squad from scratch.

I agree. There are plenty of bog average NRL players who would be on more than $500K so in that case I’d definitely want to keep Ponga over signing a couple of “solid” first graders. Our whole team is already full of solid/workhorse type players. We need a superstar now more than ever.

 

[Silent Knight]

Watson was on the field around half the time on his first contract, so with the acception of his last year he was extremely poor value.

Talked the talk though about wanting to win a Premiership for this town and these supporters blah blah ( same as Ponga is saying now ) then up and left.

If you like AOB or not it's concerning that Watson doesnt view the club as winning a Premiership and his close mate probably is thinking the same - the question is why ?

This is the main reason why I’ll have a bad taste in my mouth when we play the Roosters round 1. The guy was more vocal than anyone about how he loved the club, loved the town and loved the fans, but the fact he took less money to go to the dirty Chooks and cited some bs about needing a challenge in one of the best squads in the NRL (where success will come a lot more easily) means his words are worth less than sh*t.

I don’t necessarily hate the guy but if I bumped into him on the street and I was wearing my Knights gear I wouldn’t say a bloody word to him.