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I would rather the club fold
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I would rather the club fold
Interesting interview with O’Brien sounding much more content with his coaching setup. He sounds like he is happy to give up the coaching roles to people he feels he can trust to do it to his expectations. The Bellamy thinking is there. Rather than rush to market he looks fo solutions within. Joey’s coaching of the attack already sounds like it is ready to use KP in a more dominant capacity. It will need some serious work from those around Kalyn to make him less of a target. Moving away from a dominant half is going to be different. Bellamy always based it around Cam and Billy.This should make some of you ecstatic
Now with some time to digest Pearce’s abrupt exit O’Brien speaks with Michael Carayannis about how life will look in Newcastle without his former captain, where Kalyn Ponga will play plus those Luke Brooks rumours.
Why Pearce had to go
O’Brien had heard the rumblings surrounding Pearce’s future after Newcastle were eliminated from the premiership race.
But it wasn’t until Pearce fronted at O’Brien’s home that he knew his star halfback had played his last game for the club.
“The first I heard about it was in late October,” O’Brien said. “We’ve moved as quickly as we could for both parties to have some sort of resolution.
“I know he copped a bit of flak for the last game but it was only two games before that he carried us through to beat the Titans.
“I bear no ill-feelings towards him. I coach the human before the person. I could see it in his face. He was genuine.
“I respected him and that’s when I was comfortable with the decision.
“He said he could get on board and see out his final year of his contract but I could just tell it was going to wear him down.”
Ponga’s future
Ex-Newcastle coach Nathan Brown flirted with moving Ponga to the halves at the start of 2019. Despite suggestions otherwise, O’Brien has no intention of switching the Maroons fullback to cover for Pearce.
“Kalyn will play fullback for us,” O’Brien said.
“We’ve designed it so he gets more quality ball and we’re looking at ways to integrate him into the game more.
“I see a hunger in him that he still wants to get more out of himself from the fullback position. He is our one at this stage.”
Half shootout
The Knights added St George Illawarra’s Adam Clune in the off-season. O’Brien predicts Clune and Phoenix Crossland will battle it out to partner Jake Clifford in the halves.
“At this stage, we will fight it out between Clune and Crossland,” O’Brien said.
“Adam has led all our fitness testing, applied himself and talks really well in meetings. “Everything we wanted to get from him we have. He will accelerate the development of our younger guys. I’ve been impressed with Phoenix.
“He thrived in the environment in Queensland and got better and better. He has a new attitude.
“The way we’ve designed our attack is not rely on a dominant seven. It will feature around Jayden Brailey and Kalyn. That will help fill the void of Mitchell.”
The Knights have continually been linked to Tigers half Brooks. Brooks reported to Tigers training last week with the club adamant they will not release him.
O’Brien said he has had no conversations about trying to entice Brooks to the club.
Other changes
O’Brien has slated Kurt Mann to take on Connor Watson’s No. 13 jersey after Watson returned to the Roosters.
He also nominated youngster Simi Sasagi as the bench utility and had been “really impressed” by giant winger Dominic Young.
There has also been a mass turnover of staff with ex-Panthers Hayden Knowles and Craig Catterick among the changes.
O’Brien said the team were no longer content with just making the finals after successive week one exits.
“The staff have some big game experience,” O’Brien said. “I feel a lot lighter already where I haven’t got my hands in every department.”
It's hard to be outraged when you're so used to disappointment
Yeah this sums it up really haha.
This should make some of you ecstatic
Now with some time to digest Pearce’s abrupt exit O’Brien speaks with Michael Carayannis about how life will look in Newcastle without his former captain, where Kalyn Ponga will play plus those Luke Brooks rumours.
Why Pearce had to go
O’Brien had heard the rumblings surrounding Pearce’s future after Newcastle were eliminated from the premiership race.
But it wasn’t until Pearce fronted at O’Brien’s home that he knew his star halfback had played his last game for the club.
“The first I heard about it was in late October,” O’Brien said. “We’ve moved as quickly as we could for both parties to have some sort of resolution.
“I know he copped a bit of flak for the last game but it was only two games before that he carried us through to beat the Titans.
“I bear no ill-feelings towards him. I coach the human before the person. I could see it in his face. He was genuine.
“I respected him and that’s when I was comfortable with the decision.
“He said he could get on board and see out his final year of his contract but I could just tell it was going to wear him down.”
Ponga’s future
Ex-Newcastle coach Nathan Brown flirted with moving Ponga to the halves at the start of 2019. Despite suggestions otherwise, O’Brien has no intention of switching the Maroons fullback to cover for Pearce.
“Kalyn will play fullback for us,” O’Brien said.
“We’ve designed it so he gets more quality ball and we’re looking at ways to integrate him into the game more.
“I see a hunger in him that he still wants to get more out of himself from the fullback position. He is our one at this stage.”
Half shootout
The Knights added St George Illawarra’s Adam Clune in the off-season. O’Brien predicts Clune and Phoenix Crossland will battle it out to partner Jake Clifford in the halves.
“At this stage, we will fight it out between Clune and Crossland,” O’Brien said.
“Adam has led all our fitness testing, applied himself and talks really well in meetings. “Everything we wanted to get from him we have. He will accelerate the development of our younger guys. I’ve been impressed with Phoenix.
“He thrived in the environment in Queensland and got better and better. He has a new attitude.
“The way we’ve designed our attack is not rely on a dominant seven. It will feature around Jayden Brailey and Kalyn. That will help fill the void of Mitchell.”
The Knights have continually been linked to Tigers half Brooks. Brooks reported to Tigers training last week with the club adamant they will not release him.
O’Brien said he has had no conversations about trying to entice Brooks to the club.
Other changes
O’Brien has slated Kurt Mann to take on Connor Watson’s No. 13 jersey after Watson returned to the Roosters.
He also nominated youngster Simi Sasagi as the bench utility and had been “really impressed” by giant winger Dominic Young.
There has also been a mass turnover of staff with ex-Panthers Hayden Knowles and Craig Catterick among the changes.
O’Brien said the team were no longer content with just making the finals after successive week one exits.
“The staff have some big game experience,” O’Brien said. “I feel a lot lighter already where I haven’t got my hands in every department.”
Pretty much
If that's what we expect of Mann then that will be the sword AOB falls on.
I agree with this. We don’t have a Yeo, Murray or Radley so we gotta work with what we’ve got. Arguably Barnett should be playing mostly at 13 but he doesn’t really have much in the way of footwork and won’t threaten tired defenders like Mann will. Also if he plays second row he at least keeps Fitz out of the starting side which is a bonus.
Mann won’t threaten tired defenders if he is in the starting pack. If anything, our other pigs will be getting extra tired from covering his workload.
He probably won’t be though. AOB will name him at 13 and will swap him with Sue which is what happened with Watson all year.
