AOB’s Great Team Cull of 2020

[Alex28]

AOB said during the week that players were “playing for their lives” and heads will roll if they don’t perform.

so, they were worse than last week against the Dogs. So let’s play “whose career is done (in the short term at least)”.

Let’s just assume Pearce is cut for the sake of the post. You all want it, it’s going to happen as a result.

I’ll start. Moga could have played his last game for the Knights. Just terrible. Injuries might save him short-term, but he isn’t being re-signed.

Next?

 

[Spot On]

Trent Robinson is laughing his arse off.

Timed the 'Pearce Off' decision to a tee.

2 comps later...

If Pearce can't pick his form up soon and guide this side into the 8... will Obrien push his barrow for an extension or head in a different direction??

 

[aqua_duck]

I know he won't be dropped but surely questions have to be asked of Pearce. His short kicking game has been abhorrent this year. Few times in the second half he had the chance to put in a half decent kick or even run the ball and instead put in some absolutely useless aimless chip kicks straight to the opposition

 

[Alex28]

I would have thought it would have taken longer than 7 minutes to deflect off the other 16 in the squad and keep flogging the dead horse...

 

[Spot On]

He is in a major slump that started v Cowboys re his kicking. Now, it has never been much chop but it is disgraceful atm.

There is absolutely no way the coach can be remotely happy with his form which is having a direct impact on the win/loss column.

 

[Spot On]

A million dollar half with close to 300 fg games of experience should be able to kick the footy.

Maybe one of the forwards or wingers or centres should do better and pick up the slack at the end of sets?

 

[Yosh]

I know he won't be dropped but surely questions have to be asked of Pearce. His short kicking game has been abhorrent this year. Few times in the second half he had the chance to put in a half decent kick or even run the ball and instead put in some absolutely useless aimless chip kicks straight to the opposition

The Mullen curse...

 

[Knight Vision]

He is in a major slump that started v Cowboys re his kicking. Now, it has never been much chop but it is disgraceful atm.

There is absolutely no way the coach can be remotely happy with his form which is having a direct impact on the win/loss column.

I disagree, his slump has been for most of this season to be honest. Our forwards total domination covered most if his inefficiencies in the earlier part of the season.

He is in the sunset of his career so the question has to be asked has he lost the desire to play.

 

[Spot On]

I disagree, his slump has been for most of this season to be honest. Our forwards total domination covered most if his inefficiencies in the earlier part of the season.

He is in the sunset of his career so the question has to be asked has he lost the desire to play.

The club is looking to extend apparently. The sun is still well and truly shining according to some.

 

[Alex28]

A million dollar half

Not a million dollar half.

 

[Alex28]

The club is looking to extend apparently. The sun is still well and truly shining according to some.

So, given the coach was happy with his effort today and he’s getting another few years contract after this one, let’s assume he’s safe.

Next!

 

[Spot On]

Imagine being a million dollar half and not being 'safe'.

 

[Silent Knight]

I don’t think it would have to be a massive cull. Besides from AOB’s presser I don’t think he’s dropping anyone so this thread at least for the next week is moot.

Super Safe:

Klemmer
Ponga
Randall
Hunt
Best
Tuala
Barnett
J. Saifiti
Mann

Safeish (ie more likely to be dropped due to returning players rather than bad form):

Crossland
Saulo
Guerra (old but puts in as much as he can)
King (wasn’t bad today despite expectations)

One more bad game away from being dropped:

Ese’ese
Fitzgibbon

If I were the coach right now...

Pearce
Moga

 

[Knight Vision]

The club is looking to extend apparently. The sun is still well and truly shining according to some.

we could do a lot worse than have Pearce IF he was with another dominant half.

I dont think we have the cap money and if we did who is available ?

It may be better to get Crosslands a run and get him used to running the team alongside Pearce. ?

We could jettison Watson and use his money towards getting a decent half, move Mann to utility for the remainder of his contract

 

[Yosh]

we could do a lot worse than have Pearce IF he was with another dominant half.

I dont think we have the cap money and if we did who is available ?

It may be better to get Crosslands a run and get him used to running the team alongside Pearce. ?

We could jettison Watson and use his money towards getting a decent half, move Mann to utility for the remainder of his contract

Exactly what I was thinking. Crossland looked good. Some great efforts in defense and didn't seem to shy away from the ball either.

How good is Barnett? He should definitely be co captain or something.

 

[Knight Vision]

How good is Barnett? He should definitely be co captain or something.

He's our Captain for mine, love the way he plays footy

If I was in a trench fighting the Germans I know who I'd want next to me and it isnt Pearce. I'll take Barny thanks.

 

[Spot On]

we could do a lot worse than have Pearce IF he was with another dominant half.

Nor can you pay a million a season to Pearce if a dominant 6 is needed to prop him up so desperately.

 

[Alex28]

Agree that we need to start developing Crossland at 6 now. Pearce has never had a worker next to him in the halves and isn’t good enough to do it all himself. Crossland has shown he could be really good.

1. Ponga
6. Crossland
7. Pearce
9. Brailey

Could be pretty good!

 

[Alex28]

Nor can you pay a million a season to Pearce if a dominant 6 is needed to prop him up so desperately.

Sigh.

He isn’t a million dollar half. He literally isn’t being paid a million dollars by us.

 

[Knight Vision]

One more bad game away from being dropped:

Ese’ese
Fitzgibbon

Both should be gone from the 17 next year.

Fitz is a bog average player for mine. If he was the guy that chased a winger all the way to the tryline, or smashed a full back and dragged him in goal, or put a hit on when the chips were down etc etc it might be a different story....for mine he offers nothing of value........gonski