Match Discussion: Round 13 vs Manly @ McDonald Jones Stadium, New Lambton / Awabakal

[perverse]

Am I the only one that thought his brain explosion was likely just a stupid mistake because he’s a Knight rather than any relation to the head knock? There’s this narrative going around in the media now that every dumb thing Ponga does must be because his head isn’t right. I guess we’ll never know but if he was that bad I really don’t think we’d play him. We get a lot of things wrong as a club, but I don’t think player welfare is one of them.

Miller on the bench makes no sense. If Ponga goes down Gagai can go back there. I feel Miller is just a waste of a spot. Hell even Mann would be better from a positional perspective.

Miller needs to go back and play Cup and get his confidence back. Sitting on the bench for 50 minutes I fear will just stress him out and make him more likely to come on and make errors at crucial times.

Really not sure what AOB’s reasoning is here.

KP was busy giving Gamble (I think it was Gamble?) a serve and lost track of the tackle count. Had bugger all to do with his head knock.

Miller on the bench is dumb. Will do nothing for him or the team. Honestly I think this is as big a sign as any that the coach doesn't know wtf he's doing and is already out of answers.

It doesn't have to be permanent though. He played the Young situation about as well as you could hope for.

Sweet spot for coaches is to show faith in players but not unending faith where weeks of bad play goes unpunished.

To be fair, Dom came good for a week or two and has been patchy at best since then.

 

[macavity]

Can Miller pass from the ground?

 

[Rod]

To be fair, Dom came good for a week or two and has been patchy at best since then.

Yep and if memory serves he didn't really have a choice to bring him back because Marzhew missed the following game, so not the perfect example.

I meant more being willing to drop him in the first place.

 

[Woody90]

I think AOB brought in Miller and isn't ready to drop him yet because it'll make him look like an idiot. He is choosing Miller as the hill to die on.

Unfortunately he’s also chosen some Crossland and Mann shaped hills to die on.

 

[Jono078]

There's honestly no excuses this weekend. I'm sure AOB will find a few, including "Ponga first game at fullback in almost a year", but realistically there's no reason why we shouldn't be putting Manly to the sword this week.

The only downside of putting Manly to the sword is the playing group will have their heads inflated again for another month and coast along for their good 55 minute effort (there's no way they're putting 80 good minutes together).

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

This is really starting to feel like this will be one of 'those' games. Manly are already paying $3.25 on Sports bet to our $1.25..

 

[Allstar Knights]

Wouldn't be surprised if Miller plays some hooker. He was actually a hooker when he played for the Coffs Harbour Comets.

 

[Yosh]

Wouldn't be surprised if Miller plays some hooker. He was actually a hooker when he played for the Coffs Harbour Comets.

So you're saying he is the next coming of Bedsy and all our hooker worries are over??

 

[Old dog]

So you're saying he is the next coming of Bedsy and all our hooker worries are over??

Think you may have slightly over exaggerated his comment

 

[Yosh]

Think you may have slightly over exaggerated his comment

Hahaha. I just want a new hooker so bad...

 

[Old dog]

Don’t we all, should have been a priority for this season but not to be by the looks, every other position looks ok except for 9, recruitment should fix at least for 2024.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

The club is clearly pushing the narrative
All is ok with KP. That play the ball brain explosion was very very concerning. Miller is there in case Kalyn gets a HIA. They think we are stupid which makes it even more amusing and equally sad.

Where are they pushing this narrative?

Clear the club is worried about his welfare and have expressed concern the whole journey since this became an issue last year

Weird take

 

[macavity]

Hahaha. I just want a new hooker so bad...

look for the red light

 

[Knight Tales]

Where are they pushing this narrative?

Clear the club is worried about his welfare and have expressed concern the whole journey since this became an issue last year

Weird take

Weird how? Drop the out of form fullback and bench him as cover? To achieve what? Oh that’s right he is now a utility overnight.
KP went down in the most basic contact you can have like Deontay Wilder just chinned him. Cat 1 all day. He should be rested and reassessed. O’Brien is desperate. Billy Slater did not miss selecting him based on Walsh’s form. It is called duty of care.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Dont think any of that suggests the club thinks all is ok with Kayln, keeping Miller on the bench is a pretty loud statement otherwise imo

The independent doc didnt write it off as a cat 1 and thats his job. Im not sure any of us here are more qalified to contradict them

 

[Mr_Knightside]

So we’re strong favourites and Manly are outsiders. This has that smell about it doesn’t it. I can see us either bumbling and fumbling our way to an error riddled 14-12 win or something like that and AOB will say he was proud of our effort and fight… Or Manly will turn up switched on with a siege mentality and blow the doors off us early and we’ll lose in embarrassing circumstances.

the alternative is that we win by 40+ with KP and Gags showing why they shouldn’t have been overlooked for QLD. I can only hope and pray that this is what happens but we’ve all seen one of the first two situations happen over and over in the recent past.

 

[Jono078]

So we’re strong favourites and Manly are outsiders. This has that smell about it doesn’t it. I can see us either bumbling and fumbling our way to an error riddled 14-12 win or something like that and AOB will say he was proud of our effort and fight… Or Manly will turn up switched on with a siege mentality and blow the doors off us early and we’ll lose in embarrassing circumstances.

the alternative is that we win by 40+ with KP and Gags showing why they shouldn’t have been overlooked for QLD. I can only hope and pray that this is what happens but we’ve all seen one of the first two situations happen over and over in the recent past.

Nail on the head on all fronts!

I've prepared myself for a Schuster masterclass.

 

[Zoidberg]

So we’re strong favourites and Manly are outsiders. This has that smell about it doesn’t it. I can see us either bumbling and fumbling our way to an error riddled 14-12 win or something like that and AOB will say he was proud of our effort and fight… Or Manly will turn up switched on with a siege mentality and blow the doors off us early and we’ll lose in embarrassing circumstances.

the alternative is that we win by 40+ with KP and Gags showing why they shouldn’t have been overlooked for QLD. I can only hope and pray that this is what happens but we’ve all seen one of the first two situations happen over and over in the recent past.

Hoping for the latter.

 

[mozza91]

See the squad is cut down to 19 with Lucas and Mann remaining. I imagine he comes in for Miller despite what Obi said and we can give Miller 80 minutes at fullback in Cup.

 

[Burwood]

Amazing to see that Hodgson is named on the wing in Cup- can’t even hold his position against Armstrong who’s not exactly a world beater and usually plays on the wing.