Is Kidley right for the captaincy?

[Alex28]

Houston is a few years away from captain material - needs to get some maturity, stop giving away dumb penalties and the little mistakes that creep in to his game. I can see him in a Ben Kennedy-esque "leader of the forwards" role first before captain. Also lets see whether he wants to be a long-term Knight first.

Kurt will never ever be dropped as captain. It's a moot point really. He's the all-Novocastrian hero, one of our own, local boy made good. Whether he can actually play well whilst having to organise everyone else is a different matter. It doesn't matter. He's the captain, he's loved by all and whether it is the best for the team or for him or not, while ever he wants the role he will have it.

 

[perverse]

so you think the head-in-the-sand attitude that is in the papers is the one that is actually occuring behind closed doors karma? you think the boys sit around in the sheds and have a laugh after being pumped 40 - 8?

all you have said in that post is a bloody given. it's like saying you should have a drink if you're thirsty. if the blokes aren't being honest and upfront with each other as a players group behind closed doors then we have massive issues. i would assume that they are well aware that they arn't putting in... but sometimes it's not as simple as sitting around and having a chat about it.

 

[Karmawave]

Perverse, I do actually believe the players are living in denial - behind closed doors as well.

I'm sure they aren't happy about being pumped 40-8, but I don't imagine they were happy after being beaten by the wooden spooners the week before either. So what did that change?

I'm sure they're living in denial.

 

[Jobdog]

I don't believe it, but I actually agree 100% with what Karma's saying. Maybe I've been brainwashed, who knows.

But at the end of the day, changing the captaincy won't change a thing. The players don't give a toss (even though they won't admit it publicly), so we could bring Joey out of retirement and give him the captaincy and it still wouldn't matter. We'd just lose by a few less...

Perverse, if the whole "head-in-the-sand thing" is what's being sprouted about in the papers everyday, it's a little difficult to imagine that what's going on behind closed doors is any different. While I don't think they'd enjoy being pumped 40-8 and while they wouldn't be laughing about it, something tells me they'll just be saying "oh it's ok, we'll bounce back next week" - fact is, the last three weeks performances tell me that's not going to happen.

 

[Jobdog]

Christ, Karma and I have practically said the same thing :crazy: :shock:

 

[Karmawave]

Christ, Karma and I have practically said the same thing :crazy: :shock:

Yes, I'm not the anti christ after all. ;-)

 

[antonius]

Houston is a few years away from captain material - needs to get some maturity, stop giving away dumb penalties and the little mistakes that creep in to his game. I can see him in a Ben Kennedy-esque "leader of the forwards" role first before captain. Also lets see whether he wants to be a long-term Knight first.

Kurt will never ever be dropped as captain. It's a moot point really. He's the all-Novocastrian hero, one of our own, local boy made good. Whether he can actually play well whilst having to organise everyone else is a different matter. It doesn't matter. He's the captain, he's loved by all and whether it is the best for the team or for him or not, while ever he wants the role he will have it.

Yep you're prob correct, but doesn't make him the man for the job. When it affects his game (and I reckon it does) then something should change. Those players out there need to be reminded throughout the game what they are there for, and if they f###k up then they need to be told. I don't see that happening. All fine and dandy when everything is going our way, when it isn't that all changes. Don't get me wrong I admire Kidley, whatever he's achieved he deserves, old posters know I was never a big fan, but he's found his niche and has performed at 100% constantly, certainly made me eat my words. But being captain because of who you are isn't a reason to be captain.

 

[perverse]

i don't think kurt has been half the player this year that he was last year... and i think a fair bit of that is the extra burden of captaincy.

probably not a fair comparison... but when joey took on the captaincy (reluctantly, i might add)... his game went to all new levels. kurt has gone in the opposite direction in my opinion. maybe he'll warm to it after a while, who knows... but i'm a believer that some people are just born to lead.

it is likely all moot though, as a few have said i'm sure kurt will never be sacked from the captaincy... however that doesn't mean we shouldn't discuss it, and it certainly doesn't mean that the opinions arn't valid either.

 

[Alex28]

I actually think there is plenty of merit in a dual captaincy role within the team. The Titans seem to have made it work. A leader of the backs and forwards?

 

[roopy]

Kurt is a victim of the 'peter principle' - or 'everyone is promoted to their first level of incompetence'.
Kurt is our best player and has some wonderful skills, but he is not a halfback and he is not a captain.

 

[cram]

Yes, I'm not the anti christ after all. ;-)

Well actually you are that's is what the devil does,he tempts you and sometimes you sucumb ;-)

 

[Liam]

Said it before but Scott Dureau, Captain-Coach.

 

[doggone]

Kurt just needs to get fired up. Lose the nice guy.

 

[Nuffy]

Kurt seems like a genuinely nice fella so he may not have the mongrel in him which is OK. He can be the captain and fulfil that role.

The team however needs a couple of hard nuts in the forwards to lead the way, like a BK or Crocker.

Ennis for me would have been ideal. We need to find at least 2 hard nuts to lead the pack, if Cross is one of them then he needs to be on the field, he can't be the leader from the stand.

 

[Hanscholo]

Regardless what i think of Gidley, they arent going to sack him. They wont even sack a traiterous coach trialling wingers for next season, so why would they sack a genuinely great bloke who trys hard.

 

[Hanscholo]

Kurt is a victim of the 'peter principle' - or 'everyone is promoted to their first level of incompetence'.
Kurt is our best player and has some wonderful skills, but he is not a halfback and he is not a captain.

That is Kurts career in a nuthshell though. He isnt anything really. He started his career filling holes, chasing kicks...a real nothing player and he continues to just be that, but with great effort and hard work. Its because of that, because he has little talent and he is making it anyway is exactly why he should be captain. Showing you can make it just on effort alone is just what league is about. There is nothing a side can have greater than commitment and effort in a game, its 95% of the job. So to me he is a stand out as captain. BTW - the refs dont listen to any of the captains, and he gets sh*t from other players and fans because he is new and very open to attack, and to be quite frank a lot of them are over Newcastle dominating the NSW captaincy.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

When the team played the roosters I was paying close attention to the boys in the in goal after the roosters scored a couple of quick tries. The whole team was very quiet if not silent and that includes Gidley. I remember watching Joey throw water bottles at the ground and screaming at his team mates. The team needs more of that!

 

[Newie is God's Country]

When the team played the roosters I was paying close attention to the boys in the in goal after the roosters scored a couple of quick tries. The whole team was very quiet if not silent and that includes Gidley. I remember watching Joey throw water bottles at the ground and screaming at his team mates. The team needs more of that!

Have noticed that too. It is like he doesn't want to upset anyone. You need a captain who people want to hurt for. That requires respect and sadly Gids doesn't seem to get enough of it, or more importantly demand it. I remember Joey nearly throwing a ball at Lee Jackson in 1996. That sums up Joey's temperament on the field.

 

[stbill]

That is Kurts career in a nuthshell though. He isnt anything really. He started his career filling holes, chasing kicks...a real nothing player and he continues to just be that, but with great effort and hard work. Its because of that, because he has little talent and he is making it anyway is exactly why he should be captain. Showing you can make it just on effort alone is just what league is about. There is nothing a side can have greater than commitment and effort in a game, its 95% of the job. So to me he is a stand out as captain. BTW - the refs dont listen to any of the captains, and he gets sh*t from other players and fans because he is new and very open to attack, and to be quite frank a lot of them are over Newcastle dominating the NSW captaincy.

Look mate i am a big fan of Gidley, but the reality is, if his brother wasn't Matt, he most probably wouldn't have made first grade.

 

[cram]

Look mate i am a big fan of Gidley, but the reality is, if his brother wasn't Matt, he most probably wouldn't have made first grade.

Ok, so on that basis his whole career to date is based on the fact his brother was Matt

He made first grade at Newcastle because his brother was Matt, his game improved (with the help of Smith) based on the fact his brother was Matt, he was picked to play for NSW and Australia because his brother was Matt and finally they made him Captain of NSW because his brother was Matt?

Whilst you can draw a long bow and say he got an opportunity because his brother was Matt the rest I would think has something to do with him as an individual.