Cross released to Rhinos

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Have to agree with Coby, Walshy's been found out a lot and is just a barely average NRL halfback.

Aside from a cross field kick what does he really offer attack wise?

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Cannot believe the negativity over cross leaving. He has been a huge underacheiver.

 

[cram]

I thought that you all needed a good laugh today so decided to post this comment made on Herald site.... not sure how he comes to the conclusion but none the less he has....lmao

It’s going to be a touch embarrassing for Rick Stone, just before kick-off of the first game of the 2011 season. It appears that he will be forced to walk into the opposition’s dressing room and ask if some of the Penrith players will mind playing for the Knights so they can “even up” the number of people in each side. Just like they used to do when I played in the under 8s. Admittedly the fantastic volunteers at Valentine – Eleebana ran the club better than the current management of the Knights, so this was a rare event. With Ben Cross leading a flood of players exiting the Knights and none coming in, asking this favour from fellow NRL coaches will become a weekly event for Mr Stone.


Posted by Ron Burgundy, 12/10/2010 8:18:22 AM, on The Herald

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...ben-cross-off-to-play-in-england/1965871.aspx

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

was thinking the same thing.

Costigan and Kafusi will be the front row for next year, whether I like that or not I don't know

Good call. Nev was outstanding for us in the front row this year, but only out of necessity after Poore left and Dan Hunt got injured. Add to that, he was in a rotation of Himself, Weyman, Saffy, Merrin & Prior - who are all better props than anything the Knights had this year (not having a dig) and had a backrow of Scott, Creagh, Smith for support & Nevs job was made a lot less complicated. He was never the focal point of our pack, but at the Knights next year he will be. NOt sure how that will pan out if he's forced to be the main man at prop, because what Bennett bought out in him was that he could just play a specific role and not worry about having to do more than his job.

I got no doubt about his capability, but if he's forced to shoulder too much of the load up front, then his effectiveness will be blunted.

 

[Serc]

:lol: Nice find Cram, he is one of the worst posters on there...the funny thing is, they would read the articles in the Herald as frequently as I do (and is where I get most of my Knights info from), so they must have terrible memories!

Or more likely just like making up any old rubbish to take pot shots at the club, though on occasion it is justified as we know our club is certainly not perfect.

I read the thread initially, where most of the comments I saw were along the lines of "thank god for that", "they'll be lucky to get 10 games out of him", etc. Then I came back later to respond, and obviously more people had posted in that time. No need to be pedantic.

Maybe I was a little pedantic, but you DID say what is below after all (and I was talking in a semi light hearted fashion, just like now too )

Well I guess I'm the only one that's bothered by this.

No thats just Roopy using it as another chance to talk up such winning locals like Tovo and Miller and such.

Tovo is an 'import'

I got no doubt about his capability, but if he's forced to shoulder too much of the load up front, then his effectiveness will be blunted.

Which is at least partly what happened to Cross in 2010...

 

[B-dos]

letting cross go without plans for a replacement is terrible judgement

lets hope the club has something happening in the background becuuse as has been said here a few times, we will be left with our pants down should we get 1 or two injuries

something tells me though that we have no plan B and this is yet another display of ineptitude by the club

the houston possibility adds some hope though and if this is the case it would shed some light on the cross decision - i certainly hope the club shows they have thought this one through

 

[timka4]

....look at walshy behind a decent pack....

Don't get me started about him, he is as over rated as Dan Mortimer

 

[Adsy]

Whoa. In terms of the over rated stakes it goes something like this...

Mortimer >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Walsh

Don't think Walshy is rated at all really. Although after this past season i don't know too many who rate Mortimer that highly anymore either.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I'm pretty disappointed that we let him go. Last season Cross's form was up and down, yet I have no doubt that his toughness and leadership will be greatly missed by the team. I know last year the opposition heavily marked him and tackled him in numbers as the rest of our forwards should have been playing in skirts. Without him there in 2011 the other front rowers we have will have to lift massively.

If I had to pick a forward pack next year I would be very tempted to start Fa'aoso in the run on side. He's got the size and knows how to play with agression. I wouldn't mind seeing him and Costigan start, even though
kaufusi handled himself solidly last season. Tolar imo must not be in the run on side and should be on the bench at best. What he would offer the team as a bench player is the fact that he is mobile in defence and he has a decent offload. In the run on side against fresh players he struggles to utilise his offload and he constantly gets dominated by the opposition defence.

They'll be lucky to get 10 games out of him - as would we have been.

He dragged his injured old body around the field in about half his games last season because he was playing for the last big paycheck of his career, and now he has signed it, it's time for his version of the Monty Python album 'Contractual Obligations'.

May I ask how you know this?

 

[Bring it home Knights]

No thats just Roopy using it as another chance to talk up such winning locals like Tovo and Miller and such.

Haha!

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Haha!

I thought Tovo came through the grades here BIHK?

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Good call. Nev was outstanding for us in the front row this year, but only out of necessity after Poore left and Dan Hunt got injured. Add to that, he was in a rotation of Himself, Weyman, Saffy, Merrin & Prior - who are all better props than anything the Knights had this year (not having a dig) and had a backrow of Scott, Creagh, Smith for support & Nevs job was made a lot less complicated. He was never the focal point of our pack, but at the Knights next year he will be. NOt sure how that will pan out if he's forced to be the main man at prop, because what Bennett bought out in him was that he could just play a specific role and not worry about having to do more than his job.

I got no doubt about his capability, but if he's forced to shoulder too much of the load up front, then his effectiveness will be blunted.

No need to apologise aside from Uate you had much better then everything we had this year!

 

[roopy]

I thought Tovo came through the grades here BIHK?

Tovo was a souths junior who spent one year in our NYC. He had a terrible year, but it later became obvious he had a family issue/tragedy in the pre season and never got his season back on track.
He came to us as our big signing for NYC in 2008 - the equal of any NYC player we have signed by reputation - but as far as i can see Edwards outplayed him consistantly in all grades.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

thanks for the info.

 

[Bicey_18]

Just thought about who would be the replacement prop....

BIG RAY CASHMERE!!!!!

Remember, earlier in the year we were supposed to get Southern mid season but was injured. Also mentioned was Cashmere, he was injured also.

 

[perverse]

Just thought about who would be the replacement prop....

BIG RAY CASHMERE!!!!!

Remember, earlier in the year we were supposed to get Southern mid season but was injured. Also mentioned was Cashmere, he was injured also.

tell ya what, i'd be all for it. i reckon he's probably got a few more quality years left in him. i don't know how he's been going over in England, but he'd be an improvement over anything we've got atm.

he'd probably come back to Australia looking slow and lethargic like Ryles did for the Roosters... but whip him into shape a bit and he'd go good i'd say.

 

[Whats Doing]

The Herald said that Royal is a possibility as he is coming back to Newie. FMD

 

[Serc]

To be fair to Stone, that's not quite what the Herald reported:

Stone said the Knights would take their time to sign a replacement for Cross.
‘‘He’s got a great opportunity to go to a decent club in England for a couple of years, which will give him some stability because we only offered him a one-year deal,’’ Stone said.
‘‘We’re not going to stand in his way because it’s a good opportunity for him.
‘‘We’re quietly confident that we’ll still have enough time to replace him, and there might be a few things that will eventuate in the next few weeks.’’
Stone said former Knights and Warriors prop Jesse Royal, who is returning to live in Newcastle and play in the domestic competition for Kurri Kurri, was an option ‘‘but at this stage he wouldn’t be our first priority’’.

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...ben-cross-off-to-play-in-england/1965871.aspx

 

[Yosh]

tell ya what, i'd be all for it. i reckon he's probably got a few more quality years left in him. i don't know how he's been going over in England, but he'd be an improvement over anything we've got atm.

he'd probably come back to Australia looking slow and lethargic like Ryles did for the Roosters... but whip him into shape a bit and he'd go good i'd say.

I thought Ryles went alright this year. I would have loved to have seen him sign with us instead of the Roosters.

 

[Bicey_18]

Royal isnt THAT bad... but would keep looking