Knights 2021/22 Off-Season

[Loose Cannon]

It is encouraging that we have just locked up 3 alternatives to Kurt Mann @ 14.

 

[Jono078]

This Dom Young can motor. God I hope he can improve leaps and bounds heading into next year.

Ranked 4th this year for fastest recorded speed in the NRL.

Behind the Fox, Saab and Coates. Just ahead of the Hammer.

 

[Knight Tales]

This Dom Young can motor. God I hope he can improve leaps and bounds heading into next year.

Ranked 4th this year for fastest recorded speed in the NRL.

Behind the Fox, Saab and Coates. Just ahead of the Hammer.

If we don’t make him a part of our starting 13 this season you can bet someone else will. He’s raw, but you can see a legitimate star waiting to be unlocked.

 

[Jono078]

If we don’t make him a part of our starting 13 this season you can bet someone else will. He’s raw, but you can see a legitimate star waiting to be unlocked.

Probably the Storm too...

 

[Old dog]

Young like Hodgson isn’t ready yet and at this stage isn’t better than Lee, Hunt and Tuala but I think he will be just give him time

 

[Johns Magic]

If we don’t make him a part of our starting 13 this season you can bet someone else will. He’s raw, but you can see a legitimate star waiting to be unlocked.

Young has a LONG way to go in terms of ball safety and reading defence but you can’t deny the athleticism. I’m inclined to agree with you. I don’t know whether centre or wing suits him best. I feel that Hunt can switch between either and would be a good foil for him.

I want KP at 6. He plays best at first receiver.

Hodgson is strong for his size and has great fullback positioning which we saw in his few NSW Cup games last year. Whether he is just a Robbie O type or more brilliant than that I’m yet to see, but the wraps are big, he’s a fullback, and he’s 19 now. If he’s not “ready” this year then in 12 months time we’ll be saying he’s overdue. I don’t fancy laying out big cash to buy a Brooks/Drinkwater type in the meantime and I actually think we need some running flair at 6 and added flair at 1. I’d like to see him chucked in now.

I think Bradman would do well in the backrow and make our edges more threatening which was an issue for us last year. Admittedly I don’t see much chance of this happening but if it were me I’d go

1. Hodgson
2. Hunt/Young
3. Young/Hunt
4. Gagai
5. Lee (Tuala or Toa if Lee falls through)
6. Ponga
7. Clifford
8. Dan
9. Brailey
10. Jacob
11. Friz
12. Best
13. Barnett

14. Klemmer
15. Sue
16. Jones/Fitz
17. Sasagi

 

[Old dog]

What!!! No Mann?

 

[Jono078]

Does Best have the motor for back row? I’m not sure of that. He’s also gets banged up a bit so I’m not sure how he’d handle it.

definitely not against it I’m just not sure it works as well as it sounds.

 

[Johns Magic]

Does Best have the motor for back row? I’m not sure of that. He’s also gets banged up a bit so I’m not sure how he’d handle it.

definitely not against it I’m just not sure it works as well as it sounds.

I don’t see Best as unfit. Euan Aitken was a stocky centre for years. He got switched to 2nd row halfway through this year and in his first game scored 2 tries, made 163 metres and 41 tackles. He scored two more tries over the next three games. The switch can be made and I don’t see why Best couldn’t handle it.

Injury wise I don’t know. Obviously he’d be more involved but a lot of that would probably be tight stuff. I think a lot of injuries come from high speed. I don’t see backs getting any less injuries than forwards really. Either way I wouldn’t let fear of injury hold back trying a player in a position you think he’d excel in.

 

[Yosh]

I think Best will probably won't get over his injury problems until he is at least 22 or 23. Once he fully matures into his body, I doubt he'll be considered injury prone anymore.

I love the idea of Best in the backrow. Hopefully we can make him into a Watmough type of player. We need more skill in the backrow, not grunt.

 

[Woosh]

It is definitely something for the coaching staff to have a look at.
Stack the left edge with your your best attacking players ala Souths.
Ponga/Best/Gagai
Every side knew Souths were going down the left but no one could really stop them.

 

[Burwood]

Reality though- Fitz gets the ball on the left and acts as a handbrake.

 

[Spot On]

Reality … Adam Reynolds was key to what South’s were doing and Walker did the rest. You could have parked three blind men outside them and scored a million tries.

We don’t have anyone the calibre of either those two nor do we have the coaching nous to get us to play that way.

Unless of course Obi has been foxing the past 2 yrs.

 

[Johns Magic]

Reality … Adam Reynolds was key to what South’s were doing and Walker did the rest. You could have parked three blind men outside them and scored a million tries.

We don’t have anyone the calibre of either those two nor do we have the coaching nous to get us to play that way.

Unless of course Obi has been foxing the past 2 yrs.

Reynolds is no super talent. He is above average and plays smart with experience.

Walker is a gun. He is what we want Ponga to be, and Ponga absolutely is that talent and more.

There is no reason talent wise that Clifford and Ponga couldn’t develop into a Reynolds and Walker type combo over time. I think Souths have shown you want that flair in your 6 who plays eyes up footy and is just as dangerous running as passing. Defences fear Walker more than the guys outside him. If Hodgson is as good as they say out the back then it’s the direction I want to see us go.

But becoming that good takes a pretty special partnership over time, and as you said, coaching.

 

[Knight Tales]

Probably the Storm too...

Reynolds is no super talent. He is above average and plays smart with experience.

Walker is a gun. He is what we want Ponga to be, and Ponga absolutely is that talent and more.

There is no reason talent wise that Clifford and Ponga couldn’t develop into a Reynolds and Walker type combo over time. I think Souths have shown you want that flair in your 6 who plays eyes up footy and is just as dangerous running as passing. Defences fear Walker more than the guys outside him. If Hodgson is as good as they say out the back then it’s the direction I want to see us go.

But becoming that good takes a pretty special partnership over time, and as you said, coaching.

Do you feel that 1. essentially Joey is now our attacking coach and 2. we will see the benefit of that when KP shifts to 6? My hope is Joey can make the backs realise what positionally they have to be responsible for in terms of shape and spacing on each play. Make the defence react to them so KP's stellar passing can hit it's mark into gaps.

 

[Spot On]

Without Reynolds straightening and digging right into the defensive line before giving ball to Walker the South’s attack that leads to so many tries down their left edge loses most of its potency.

It begins with Reynolds and no matter what people think… there are very few halfbacks that can do it. He gave Walker time and space to tear apart defensive lines that know what is coming but are simply stuck on their heals once Reynolds squares them up and digs right in.

Reynolds is a talent with a super boot as well. Broncos get a bargain with him should he stay fit for a few more years.

 

[Johns Magic]

Without Reynolds straightening and digging right into the defensive line before giving ball to Walker the South’s attack that leads to so many tries down their left edge loses most of its potency.

It begins with Reynolds and no matter what people think… there are very few halfbacks that can do it. He gave Walker time and space to tear apart defensive lines that know what is coming but are simply stuck on their heals once Reynolds squares them up and digs right in.

Reynolds is a talent with a super boot as well. Broncos get a bargain with him should he stay fit for a few more years.

He straightens and digs yes. That does not make him a super talent. It makes him a smart footy player who distributes to the damaging guys outside him. Something Clifford and plenty of halfbacks should be capable of.

If Reynolds is a super talent what does that make the 10 halfbacks that have beaten him to NSW jerseys over his career?

 

[Johns Magic]

Do you feel that 1. essentially Joey is now our attacking coach and 2. we will see the benefit of that when KP shifts to 6? My hope is Joey can make the backs realise what positionally they have to be responsible for in terms of shape and spacing on each play. Make the defence react to them so KP's stellar passing can hit it's mark into gaps.

Yes I feel Joey is coming in to rip up our attack and start again.

I think given the halves we are chasing it’s more likely they want Ponga at fullback than 6. But if Brooks doesn’t come and we start looking at players like Drinkwater(a borderline first grader) who are also not being released easily, the odds of just accelerating Hodgson to 1 must become more tempting.

 

[Bartwah]

Weidler reporting that Mitch Pearces overseas contract will be sorted today

 

[The Axe of Druss]

I think Reynolds is smart like JM has said and is much like a lesser version of Cooper Cronk. Not physically gifted but has the footy brain to put himself 2 steps ahead. He is a big loss for Souths and will unfortunately make Brisbane better, even though they dont have much around him like Souths did.

FTR i want KP at 5/8, its where hes most effective but we also need an effective FB as well otherwise we are just going to get teams double teaming him 1 pass further inwards instead of where they do now. He simply cannot be our only threat as a ball player and im not convinced Hodgson is that, given hes played 2/10s of f**k all footy the last 2 seasons with NSW Cup getting shut down.

If we did buy Drinkwater, who is truly a dangerous attacking player, id have him at FB but thats all up in the air right now