Knightsrebuild - time to do something.

[undertaker]

Oh, an addendum to my long rant...

I didn't know until only a few weeks ago that Michael Hagan was the director of football at the Knights. I thought he was still a commentator on KOFM (which is where he should've stayed IMO). I still can't believe the club brought him back after all the problems we and Parramatta had during his coaching tenure at those clubs. It's not his fault that the Knights chose employ him in that capacity, but moreso whoever was the person who approved the move should be sacked.

I've always wanted to know what exactly the role of 'director of football' encompasses. And then I LMAO when I stumbled upon this:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-...ctor-of-football-at-newcastle-knights/5754972

Knights chief executive Matt Gidley said as director of football, Hagan will be responsible and accountable for the entire football department, while providing support for head coach Rick Stone and mentoring the club's emerging coaches.

Hagan's primarily role will focus on building an elite environment of coaching and infrastructure, enabling all players and coaches to maximise their potential.

He will also manage the player list and recruitment.

Responsible and accountable, ay? And what support is he providing Rick Stone? Is it telling Stone to read off the Hagan-style autocue when he was coach and Joey was injured, with the half-time/full-time message in sheds more often than not being "Oh, we lost/are down by 40pts , but doesn't matter, we still tried/are trying hard...." and the pre-game message being

Hagan: "Alright, guys! Take a seat. Remember, the gameplan this arvo is to pass the ball to Joey..."
Knights player: "Ummmm, Hages! You do realise Joey's still out injured"
Hagan: "Really? Oh, CRAP!"

However, laughing matters aside, the part underlined in that link above is what worries me the most, depending on how long Hages remains in that role as Director of Football.

 

[Swarzey]

Yeah celebrities are a stretch. However, waving the #KnightsRebuild hashtag and Facebook page in front of guys like Dillion and Keeble would be a great way to gain more exposure. That's where we need to go next, getting those guys to identify the campaign and getting them to write pieces, little or big about our frustrations with the club.

It will snowball eventually, we just need to be active in social media.

It's a shame the Mighty Knights page couldn't give it half a chance. Seems to be a few that jumped on. Still won't shun them in the hopes eventually they'll come around. Even despite how delusional they are, adding them would be a considerable boost.

 

[Burwood]

You need to work slowly on fans like those on the 'Mighty Knights' Facebook page. You might want guys like Midley, Stone and Hagan out of the club, but don't go in guns blazing with hashtags like #StoneOut etc. The second you start attacking the current setup they will go straight into defensive mode.

Ask the important questions like 'what is the club doing to strengthen our roster in 2016?' and 'are the players being held accountable for their performances?'

And when they bring up the inevitable arguments like we have youth coming through the system and they just need time to make the grade, you can counter with the argument that we have always had a strong junior system but these players very rarely go on to bigger and better things unless they move to another club.

 

[Zoidberg]

So on that mighty Newcastle Knights supporters group on Facebook there is someone blaming the supporters for how shit we're going.. Good God.

Get the f**k outta here!

Maybe it's better if we just start with a "we need massive changes" and not name names. When we get more people on board (and I'm sure we'll have a few more losses under our belt), get into who needs to go then.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Can see the page really taking off with a few more big losses and the spoon.

 

[TooheysNew]

That StoneOut and GidleyOut hashtag is embarrassing. Completely the wrong way to go about things.

 

[undertaker]

And when they bring up the inevitable arguments like we have youth coming through the system and they just need time to make the grade, you can counter with the argument that we have always had a strong junior system but these players very rarely go on to bigger and better things unless they move to another club.

So, SO true.

Very good you mentioned that point. I never thought about the junior system for quite a while. I remember in my early years of supporting the Knights, you always knew or heard of the bright, upcoming stars of the future in the reserve grade and U/23 Presidents Cup, as well as the local Newcastle RL comp (whom most of the ones that regularly received mention in the local media went on to play first-grade at the Knights). I remember my dad had an interest in the Macquarie Scorpions (as I lived in the area at the time) and they won a comp in the early '90s. The Newcastle RL GF was always big in the area, getting strong crowds at the No 1 Sportsground and got good media coverage with 2HD broadcasting on radio, and NBN used to televise it in the afternoon before the news bulletin before it eventually got shafted to late night (I believe NBN also televised the Central Coast RL GF as well). I can't remember the last time NBN televised the Newcastle RL GF. These days, when I go and visit my parents in the Hunter and read the local papers and local news, I don't hear much about the juniors and yes, as you said, the ones you do hear of usually shine after being snapped up by another NRL side.

Anyways, generally speaking though, the whole junior RL structure in the NRL/NSWRL is a complete mess and I'm glad Dave Smith et al. will be restructuring this in the next tv rights deal, starting with scrapping the NYC which should've never been designed to replace reserve grade in the first place. The overall standard of footy I've seen in NYC is absolute crap, and you can blame the likes of former Parramatta CEO Dennis Fitzgerald who campaigned for reserve grade to be scrapped around 2003 so their club could save some more money.

 

[The Showstopper]

Paul Kent on Triple M today said Stone's only chance is to turn the roster over ie. Force players out. Essentially do what Brian Smith tried to do.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

I've sent some tweets off to molan and keeble with the Fb group link and hashtags Gotta start somewhere I guess.

 

[Jono078]

I gotta agree with Coby. Don't necessarily like the hastags of GidleyOut or StoneOut etc.

Just keep it to KnightsRebuild and point out what is wrong and how there's no accountability and we haven't improved our roster even after moving on Boyd, Gidley and Scott in our 2 seasons which is easily 1.5mill of cap space.

 

[Alex28]

Agree - the hashtags are ordinary and are only going to detract from what the group is trying to do.

Keep on to the facts and add substance to it. Keep building a case and something will have to happen. Avoid the gimmicks...

 

[Noname36]

That StoneOut and GidleyOut hashtag is embarrassing. Completely the wrong way to go about things.

I didn't want to say anything but I totally agree. I can guarantee that stuff like that is going to make any changes/sackings less likely. We can call for change and accountability without going for anyone's head in particular (and given the culture problem is club wide I don't think we need to single people out - all that will do is make them rally and more stubborn in support of their mates so we can kiss any hopes of change goodbye).

 

[Swarzey]

Yeah jumping on this afternoon it hit me it wasn't the best way to go with the last post trying to convince people to use the other tag and ask for someone to be held accountable for the poor form and stop giving excuse after excuse. As much as I would love to see it grow and ultimately end both of their reigns at the club, starting small will do far more good.

That said, I'm not expecting anything to happen. Unless there's a whole heap of discussion elsewhere about it that I'm missing or there's a wave of support over the next few days, I can't see anything taking off.

 

[Wato]

If joey keeps his criticism up than change will eventually come, he echoed much of what has been siad on here for some time players too comfortable and not putting in especially at home. Sims on triple m seemed shattered as well hopefully he tears into the rest of the playing group because we need one of our senior players to step up here.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-1...nights/5754972

Knights chief executive Matt Gidley said as director of football, Hagan will be responsible and accountable for the entire football department, while providing support for head coach Rick Stone and mentoring the club's emerging coaches.

Hagan's primarily role will focus on building an elite environment of coaching and infrastructure, enabling all players and coaches to maximise their potential.

He will also manage the player list and recruitment.

Id love to know the division of responsibilities between Hagan and Stone.

Rick is obviously going to cop most of the flak, being the face of the club, but i wonder to what degree this is fair.....

(again, i think Brian Smith/anyone within the catagory of "hard ass that the fans wont like" is what is needed for Coaching Director. Out of the spotlight, so the club can present a more likeable face for a Head Coach, while providing the necessary "tough love")

 

[Noname36]

What I want to know is what happened to this so called qualified board of directors that the NRL elected. They really should be in there trying to bring about change but we haven't heard a peep from them since they were elected.

Midley, Hagan and Stone are obviously the easy targets given their profiles but pretty much everyone associated with the club from the board or directors to the players have a lot to answer for.

 

[Noname36]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-1...nights/5754972



Id love to know the division of responsibilities between Hagan and Stone.

Rick is obviously going to cop most of the flak, being the face of the club, but i wonder to what degree this is fair.....

(again, i think Brian Smith/anyone within the catagory of "hard ass that the fans wont like" is what is needed for Coaching Director. Out of the spotlight, so the club can present a more likeable face for a Head Coach, while providing the necessary "tough love")

That article really makes it sound like we've actually brought Hagan back and given him a more important role than head coach (despite him running the club into the ground previously). Seriously, how stupid can one club get?

 

[The Showstopper]

We are re-writing the book on stupidity. I am curious why the NRL have not been more alarmed. They are trying to rebuild a club but the results are a massive part of that. As the caretakers of the club they need to step in and start demanding answers why their money should be spent on a club who simply do not learn.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

We are re-writing the book on stupidity. I am curious why the NRL have not been more alarmed. They are trying to rebuild a club but the results are a massive part of that. As the caretakers of the club they need to step in and start demanding answers why their money should be spent on a club who simply do not learn.

I wouldnt say the NRL is rebuilding the club at all. They are just here to make sure we exist and nothing more. The NRL only cares about big sydney clubs doing well.

 

[Burns]

The thread on 'Marathon Stadium' got locked, the multiple Knights Facebook pages (Mighty Knights Supporters, Nothing But Knights, Mighty Newcastle Knights Supporters Group) have either rejected Rebulid the Knights or stayed silent.

Suffice to say, this is just confirmation that LU Forum > Other Knights fan groups.