First Grade Knights vs Rabbitohs

[Yosh]

Yeah Simmo plays well both at Prop or 2nd row...

Aku definately should get to play again, Wicks was good last week perhaps his best game in nights colours... Tuafua carcked it I say...

 

[black knight]

I think Dureau has more bad 5th tackle option then he does good ones. He plays adequately in general play but in the red zone he goes to bits with a rush of blood to the head.

I'm glad he's not starting. I would however switch Paterson for Houston an find a spot higher up the playing roster for Uate too.

 

[The_Joey_Show]

I just see Simmo's future in the front row. I think as he is getting older he is getting a bit slower and a lot harder... not that I think that is a bad thing. I see him as our Civoniceva over the next few years.

 

[Karmawave]

I cant believe he still thinks Bailey is an NRL quality starting 6.

Does anyone else now agree that we have some of the worst halves in the comp?

While people call out Bailey's ability ( for good reason ) , it's no secret I think Scott Dureau is his halfback equivalent. Not a first grade quality starting 7.

 

[Karmawave]

I think Dureau has more bad 5th tackle option then he does good ones. He plays adequately in general play but in the red zone he goes to bits with a rush of blood to the head.

I'm glad he's not starting. I would however switch Paterson for Houston an find a spot higher up the playing roster for Uate too.

Ditto. 100%.

 

[Karmawave]

Referee: Ben Cummins

Big problem.

Cummins caned the Knights in NZ earlier this year, and again in another game that slips my mind.

Plus Chris Houston is his pet hate and I wonder if their running battle resumes this weekend.

Not a good referee for a must win game - at least we're at home.

 

[perverse]

lol oh goodie, the weekly "OH NO NOT THAT REF!" post. who cares, they're all sh*thouse.

 

[macavity]

at least we are at home? what is it now, 3/9 this year?

 

[Karmawave]

at least we are at home? what is it now, 3/9 this year?

At least we're at home...

so when we yell out a bunch of abuse aimed at ...

Ben Cummins, his touchies, Houston's moronic play, Dureau's last tackle options, Wicks 4 hit ups, the Knights Under 20's weekly final 15 minute collapse, Brian Smith's selection policy as he is walking up to his coaching box, Faaoso's ball handling, and Chris Bailey doing his pet move and stepping back inside...

they can at least hear us instead of wasting our voices yelling at a plasma screen TV.

 

[Jono078]

Ben Cummins is the worse though, we never have won under him and against him we always get really bad calls. I'll never forget against the Titans last year, cost us spot in the top 8 IMO.

And I had a write up defending Dureau and his 'poor decisions' but net stuffed up and I can't be bothered defending Dureau against Karma now, it's useless

EDIT: My bad, the Dureau discussion is in the other thread.

 

[Karmawave]

Nothing is going to convince me about Dureau Jono.

I thought he convinced me earlier this year when he had a blinder, in fact I said at the time he made a believer out of me...but then he proceeded to have a few total shockers. 2 games was beyond woeful, and it undid all his good work in my view.

It shows that one or two blinders doesn't make a consistently solid first grade halfback.

I guess Brian Smith agrees because he has hasn't been sighted in the 7 jumper since.

I'd rather a decent solid half who you know what to expect from one week to the next, even if he isn't a match winner. Solid is enough.

But Dureau has been Jekyll and Hyde. Kicking a matchwinning field goal one week, playing like a busted ass the next.

I assume its why Brian Smith hasn't given him his 7 jumper back.

 

[Jono078]

Argh, here is half of what I was gonna say earlier..

So youd prefer the same old predictable Bailey with no kicking game and Mullen in the halves?

Dureau may not always take the right option but he is ALWAYS trying something different and keeping the defence on their toes. It may be sh*t execution sometimes but the other half will get us repeat sets and tries and always have the defence guessing.

I don't know how you don't see it like that or think like that.

Anyway, you said nothing will convince you, so i'll stop, we'll call it a day on that topic eh

 

[sneaky_is_here]

im just gonna hope that thats not the side come game day. scotty has done nothing wrong.

 

[Karmawave]

im just gonna hope that thats not the side come game day. scotty has done nothing wrong.

Only because thankfully Brian Smith is making sure he doesn't get as many minutes to do something wrong...

No secret Dureau's demise began with his efforts against the Broncos and Tigers, and I'd encourage you to re-watch those games if you want an example of things he did wrong.

Sometimes some games are so bad, that even when you do things right from that time forward, the bad memory remains fresh in a coach's mind.

 

[General Knight]

Dureau, Walsh I'd have one of them in the halves or atleast have them fighting each other for it instead of having Bailey there.

I just don't like the idea of how we are keeping Bailey FG fit for Manly (of all teams too) next year. If he actually had more to his game and was playing awesome, yeah all for it having him in the starting side each week but hes not.

I'd rather be giving full FG games to either Duruea or Walsh at half back to give them experience or even figure out which one can be a more realistic option for us in the long term.

Or even just demoting Bailey to the bench would be good enough. So as long as we can test out the other 2 halves we have and who are actually gonna be there next year.

Cause right now instead of having 2 young guys battling it out with each other we seem to have one who feels like he is already not needed and one who get shuffled around each week.

IMO if we wanna see consistency we gotta give them a chance.

 

[Adsy]

Dureau played hooker for the first time in first grade against the tigers so thats a bit of a low blow. Gidley is the only one who played any good against Brisbane.

Atleast Dureau gives us a 5th tackle option both sides of the ruck. Bailey offers NOTHING!!!!!

Dureau through his short passing game puts players into holes, Bailey long slow looping passes most of the time turn into hospital passes.

Bailey has a bit of a running game but Mullens is 100 times better and if Dureau plays Mullen goes to 5/8 and actually gets to do more running.

 

[Karmawave]

I don't think Bailey is first grade standard either, and could live with Dureau/Walsh being handed the 7 if we get so far out of contention.

In the meantime, Bailey is playing 6 for as much as his strong defence as anything else, and he has been a key this year as to why our team has been so solid defensively.

Above all, I think we miss Matt Hilder most , as weird as that might sound.

 

[Adsy]

Can't wait to get Waltzing back. When is that by the way???

 

[Joker's Wild]

Im not sure why some on here are questioning Houstos starting position. He has the highest work rate in defence behind Hilder and is one of our few, very few genuine 80min footballers. Starting him off the bench is a waste IMO.

I know he gives away some silly penalties, especially off side ones, but big holes would be left in our defence if he was taken out. Pato doesnt have the fitness to be left on for extended periods and plays better in the middle 3rd of a game when the fringe defenders are tired.

 

[Karmawave]

Im not sure why some on here are questioning Houstos starting position. He has the highest work rate in defence behind Hilder and is one of our few, very few genuine 80min footballers. Starting him off the bench is a waste IMO

Of course he has a high work rate in defence. He can make all those extra tackles he caused from his moronic penalties :lol:


I could live with him playing NSW Cup to be honest , so he has a bit of a wake up call.

He is no doubt a solid 80 minute footballer on his day, but at the expense of Corey Patterson? Hmmm...