Around the Grounds

[Spot On]

Weren't a bunch of people here against Madge?

Yep.

He’s a winner.

 

[Jono078]

To be fair, he couldn’t do much with the Tigers so he prob wouldn’t have done much with us. Great grand final.

 

[TooheysNew]

To be fair, he couldn’t do much with the Tigers so he prob wouldn’t have done much with us. Great grand final.

I think his problem at the Tigers was higher than just the players.

 

[Knight Tales]

Every part of that GF should scream benchmark for every other side next season. A Broncs side so fit that they can run you down, no matter who you are! Maguire is there to bring the attitude. Their talent has always been elite. It is pretty scary how good they could get. The value of many of them shot up in the last month. So keeping that side together will be very hard. Regardless of their TPAs.

 

[MakeItStop85]

I’ll admit, as a fan of the game for almost 40 years… my interest levels have never been this low.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Yep it’s shit. Just so painful knowing that we are absolutely nowhere near this level. I hope every Knights player watched this tonight and thought “what can I do to get this club to a grand final”

KP doesn't even watch the footy lol

 

[Yosh]

Brisbane winning everything. Wonder if I'll ever see both Newy teams win the premiership the same year.

 

[Nuke]

I’ll admit, as a fan of the game for almost 40 years… my interest levels have never been this low.

I love the sport, but it has just kicked me in the guts this year time and time and time again. Over and over. I'm so defeated. Okay, my team (Knights, obviously) can't win every week, every premiership, ect. But for the team to play and lose the way they have for the best part of 20-odd years is wearing me down. This year was particularly hard to accept. Then they gave up trying and came last. Wooden spoon. Again. Kick in the guts.

NSW lost the series from being in a perfect position to win it. Kick in the guts.

Okay, Knights season finished before Finals started. 8 teams remaining. Game by game I'd choose who I'd prefer to see win. Every single game went the other way. Every. Single. Game. Kick in the guts.

NRLW continues, though. Knights defeated and season over to a team I hate. Kick in the guts. Oh, and our star player is leaving us ... to go to them. Just like our other star player did last year to the same team. Kick in the guts.

Grand Final comes along. My two most hated teams are in it. Likewise the NRLW Grand Final. Kick in the guts x2. And again, in both games, the team I hated slightly less and chose to go for both lost. To Brisbane x2. Kick in the guts x2.

Newcastle claim the wooden spoon and Brisbane win the premiership. Kick. In. The. Guts.

Sorry to sound like a big downer right now, but f**k me, for footy, it's just been a real tough slog to have even a tiny glimmer of enjoyment this whole year.

 

[Apey]

I feel like everything just went right for Brisbane this year. Can't see them being thereabouts again next year. That was a massive load off the clubs back after 2015 and especially 2023. They wanted it so much more than the Storm and their job is done now imo.

Also Walsh had one of the best games you'll ever see in a GF that can't easily be replicated. As average as Storm were in the second half they still win without Walshs performance on the other side.

 

[Knight Tales]

I honestly believe in my heart of hearts our spine can do some real damage next year. All are class ball runners. And that is the direction the game is headed.

 

[Rod]

I feel like everything just went right for Brisbane this year. Can't see them being thereabouts again next year. That was a massive load off the clubs back after 2015 and especially 2023. They wanted it so much more than the Storm and their job is done now imo.

Also Walsh had one of the best games you'll ever see in a GF that can't easily be replicated. As average as Storm were in the second half they still win without Walshs performance on the other side.

It was one of the great individual GF performances (if you ignore that he clearly should have been sin binned). Without him Storm win no question.

 

[ryan.a87]

I honestly believe in my heart of hearts our spine can do some real damage next year. All are class ball runners. And that is the direction the game is headed.

If the only thing that changed was AOB and Cogger out and JH and Sandon smith in, I’d say we would jump to a borderline top 8 side

 

[MakeItStop85]

I love the sport, but it has just kicked me in the guts this year time and time and time again. Over and over. I'm so defeated. Okay, my team (Knights, obviously) can't win every week, every premiership, ect. But for the team to play and lose the way they have for the best part of 20-odd years is wearing me down. This year was particularly hard to accept. Then they gave up trying and came last. Wooden spoon. Again. Kick in the guts.

NSW lost the series from being in a perfect position to win it. Kick in the guts.

Okay, Knights season finished before Finals started. 8 teams remaining. Game by game I'd choose who I'd prefer to see win. Every single game went the other way. Every. Single. Game. Kick in the guts.

NRLW continues, though. Knights defeated and season over to a team I hate. Kick in the guts. Oh, and our star player is leaving us ... to go to them. Just like our other star player did last year to the same team. Kick in the guts.

Grand Final comes along. My two most hated teams are in it. Likewise the NRLW Grand Final. Kick in the guts x2. And again, in both games, the team I hated slightly less and chose to go for both lost. To Brisbane x2. Kick in the guts x2.

Newcastle claim the wooden spoon and Brisbane win the premiership. Kick. In. The. Guts.

Sorry to sound like a big downer right now, but f**k me, for footy, it's just been a real tough slog to have even a tiny glimmer of enjoyment this whole year.

I feel the exact same mate, don’t worry.

Seeing Tamika raise the trophy was a huge kick in the guts…. Just knowing how she dogged our club last year and not for the ‘homesick’ excuse she trotted out either. I purposely avoided her Press Conference as well. That would have probably tipped me over the edge seeing her snarky face and talking about how awesome the Broncos are..

Knowing that the best 7 in the comp (who we developed) is now joining Brisbane is another kick in the guts. Especially when you hear the likes of Jo Barrett say that if the other clubs want to catch the Broncos/Roosters, they have to DEVELOP their talent…. What a f*cking laugh that is!

This year has been one of the most emotionally and mentally draining I’ve experienced as a fan and honestly, I don’t know how I can keep going through it…

So I definitely feel your pain mate.

 

[Apey]

It was one of the great individual GF performances (if you ignore that he clearly should have been sin binned). Without him Storm win no question.

Do we honestly think Ponga is capable any more of what Walsh provided this final series?

Walsh is 4 years younger so it some ways it was inevitable he'd surpass Ponga but the problem is we're still forking out 1.3M+ for Ponga.

I've remained team Pong for a long time but jeez he needs to pull his finger out next year if we're serious.

 

[Jono078]

Do we honestly think Ponga is capable any more of what Walsh provided this final series?

Walsh is 4 years younger so it some ways it was inevitable he'd surpass Ponga but the problem is we're still forking out 1.3M+ for Ponga.

I've remained team Pong for a long time but jeez he needs to pull his finger out next year if we're serious.

I don't know if this is a hot take or not, but I think Ponga's physical gifts have dwindled. He's no longer capable of what he did just a couple years ago. Hope he proves me wrong, but he never looked like doing much this year.

 

[Zoidberg]

Kangaroos squad named and not a Knight in sight. A bit disappointed for Braddy. Thought it would be a good experience for him and he is good enough to be in that squad.

 

[slotmachine]

What a wild timeline that Shibs is getting a kangaroos jersey over Best and it's hard to argue against.

The Knights truly is the place where careers go to die.

 

[perverse]

What a wild timeline that Shibs is getting a kangaroos jersey over Best and it's hard to argue against.

The Knights truly is the place where careers go to die.

You can certainly argue against it on ability and merit, but it definitely pays to score big tries in big games - recently. When you're a club that doesn't play in big games, it's a bit hard yeah.

We suck, and it measurably costs players chances at these sorts of honors. Another reason why we can't get away with this "pay them what they're worth" recruitment approach. A player would rightfully be expected some compensation for the hit to their rep chances.

 

[slotmachine]

You can certainly argue against it on ability and merit

Shibs coming off 2 tries, 3 line breaks, 200m and a win in the GF (after winning Origin) while Best scored 6 tries all year and is probably getting another shit tatt in Bali.

 

[perverse]

Shibs coming off 2 tries, 3 line breaks, 200m and a win in the GF (after winning Origin) while Best scored 6 tries all year and is probably getting another shit tatt in Bali.

Literally exactly what I'm saying mate. Best has done everything he can in every big game he's played in, but it amounts to nothing if he's not playing in the most recent big games. You don't really think Shibs is a better player overall do you? I'm not talking on record or anything else, which do you think is a better player?

I mean if you want to sit there with a straight face and make that argument that's fine. If you believe in your heart of hearts that Shibs would perform as well as Best in our current Knights outfit (and that Best wouldn't be at least Shibs equal in the Broncos team) then that is certainly a position you can take.

Playing for a shit team sucks, but if you're gonna sit there and argue Shibasaki is a better player than Best, well, let's hear it. lol.