Match Discussion: Round 2 vs Wests Tigers @ McDonald Jones Stadium

[Woosh]

Knowles has truely been the best buy for 2022. Our boys look super fit and it shows in our line speed and rapid attack

Gagai is the heartbeat of the team.
Don’t @ me.

 

[Loose Cannon]

Win by 13 and cover Brisbane by 20/ Canterbury by 25, and we lead the comp.

All of those options give me special feelings, but “Go Knights”!

Glad I did the maths.

Ecstatic it actually happened.

 

[Old dog]

Hard to believe that this, our current Gagai, is better than our previous Gagai. Ok he has matured, developed but his play is similar but the criticism has changed. He left to get a premiership not because he didn’t like Newcastle.
He is good, has been very good, obviously he has picked up some knowledge whilst away but some must cringe at prior criticism for when he was with us previously he was our best centre/attacker we had but blame went with the masses, I’m sorry he left but more than glad he is back and now playing in a better all round team than when he left to which he and others look better

 

[perverse]

Hard to believe that this, our current Gagai, is better than our previous Gagai. Ok he has matured, developed but his play is similar but the criticism has changed. He left to get a premiership not because he didn’t like Newcastle.
He is good, has been very good, obviously he has picked up some knowledge whilst away but some must cringe at prior criticism for when he was with us previously he was our best centre/attacker we had but blame went with the masses, I’m sorry he left but more than glad he is back and now playing in a better all round team than when he left to which he and others look better

Well said, and I certainly do cringe quite often. It's like some weird alternate reality where he wasn't one of our best players on the park for the majority of his time with us. As you said, he's matured some - has more leadership about him and has bulked up a bit too... but I don't think he's that much different, and I didn't have any doubt about him being an asset when he returned.

 

[Silent Knight]

I just want to say but with the emergence of Croker and Thompson our front row quality and depth is quite exceptional:

Daniel Saifiti
Jacob Saifiti
David Klemmer
Mitch Barnett
Sauaso Sue
Mat Croker
Leo Thompson

Say what you want about AOB and his coaching staff, but damn have they unearthed a tough as nails, uncompromising, mean machine of a front row pack.

We’ve got Friz, just need to recruit one more young and hungry back rower to give our pack that final edge.

 

[Walk On Home Boy]

Well said, and I certainly do cringe quite often. It's like some weird alternate reality where he wasn't one of our best players on the park for the majority of his time with us. As you said, he's matured some - has more leadership about him and has bulked up a bit too... but I don't think he's that much different, and I didn't have any doubt about him being an asset when he returned.

The disdain shown by a lot of fans around Gagai's resigning was more about the way he clearly phoned in a heap of performances in his last season with us, his unceremonious exit and a little less about his inability to consistently bring his Origin form to club footy. He turns in a defensive horror show a couple of times a year too for some reason.

2 good games don't erase those memories for me personally but he's a massive upgrade on what we had and on current form he's great value. If this is what we get from him all year I'm happy to have the egg on my face that's for sure.

 

[Apey]

We’ve looked a heap better in the second half.

We are second game in with a new halves combination - one which more than a few critics expected us to run last with.

And we are winning games. And we are leading the comp. Enough sooking.

Also look 5x better in attack even with our clunkiness. I'd take this over a geriatric Pearce any day.

 

[Yosh]

Never looked like losing. We have always been one dropped ball away from blowing any lead but today we looked the goods for 80 minutes. Far from perfect (our kicking game needs massive improvement and we are going side to side way too often) but we look a solid and confident side.

Croker, where has this lad been. I didn't know we had such a gun young forward at the club. Thompson should get a contract extension. He is already becoming a fan favorite.

 

[Sir Galahad]

Hard to believe that this, our current Gagai, is better than our previous Gagai. Ok he has matured, developed but his play is similar but the criticism has changed. He left to get a premiership not because he didn’t like Newcastle.
He is good, has been very good, obviously he has picked up some knowledge whilst away but some must cringe at prior criticism for when he was with us previously he was our best centre/attacker we had but blame went with the masses, I’m sorry he left but more than glad he is back and now playing in a better all round team than when he left to which he and others look better

Gagai is all class, was the first time at the Knights, only then he was playing with the worst team in NRL history.

Hard to understand how anyone could be unhappy with a Australian, SOO rep and one of the best outside backs in the game.

 

[Sir Galahad]

I'd take this over a geriatric Pearce any day.

young Pearce wasnt much better

 

[Bring it home Knights]

G

Hard to believe that this, our current Gagai, is better than our previous Gagai. Ok he has matured, developed but his play is similar but the criticism has changed. He left to get a premiership not because he didn’t like Newcastle.
He is good, has been very good, obviously he has picked up some knowledge whilst away but some must cringe at prior criticism for when he was with us previously he was our best centre/attacker we had but blame went with the masses, I’m sorry he left but more than glad he is back and now playing in a better all round team than when he left to which he and others look better

gagai’s defence was terrible last time he was with us. The tries let in which were the results of his poor attempts were many.

 

[Apey]

I disagree on the Gagai stuff. In his last stint with us he would crab across the field and get dominated a lot. He was also a consistent liability in defence.

He comes back to us a better player than he was, a bit bulkier too as perverse said which I think helps both issues I mentioned above.

If he keeps up his current form I'll forgive him pretty quickly for previous dud performances.

 

[mozza91]

Christ almighty there’s some miserable pricks in this thread. Comfortable win in a danger game whilst missing our best player, 2 best forwards and another half a dozen or so blokes. Reading this thread you’d think we got belted today.

 

[Joel-22]

Gags is and always was a superstar player. He’s an absolute legend of a bloke off the field too. I was gutted when he left but wanted nothing but success for him. I was very happy when it was announced he would be returning. The groupthink criticism about how abysmal he was before he left is ridiculous. He was our best player the day he left. I think defensively he’s stronger but other than that, this is how he played in his last weeks with us.

 

[Knight Tales]

Christ almighty there’s some miserable pricks in this thread. Comfortable win in a danger game whilst missing our best player, 2 best forwards and another half a dozen or so blokes. Reading this thread you’d think we got belted today.

O’Brien and Johns are changing all pre assumptions of this competition. We also have depth and skill to counter anything thrown at us. It is what we have all wanted to see and let us all just enjoy the season.

 

[Knight76]

Gags is and always was a superstar player. He’s an absolute legend of a bloke off the field too. I was gutted when he left but wanted nothing but success for him. I was very happy when it was announced he would be returning. The groupthink criticism about how abysmal he was before he left is ridiculous. He was our best player the day he left. I think defensively he’s stronger but other than that, this is how he played in his last weeks with us.

Its not group think, its a lot of peoples opinion.

Gags when he was with us last used to run sideways further than forward. Hard to tackle but wouldnt get anywhere.

Also defence was an issue. He was playing in a poor team though.

Since, he has matured as a player and is now better. But saying he was great when with us, when playing for us is rose colored glasses stuff.

Anyway whats important is he and the team are much better now.

 

[Sir Galahad]

But saying he was great when with us, when playing for us is rose colored glasses stuff.

then how did he get selected to play for QLD ? and in his last year with the Knights play for Australia?

 

[Apey]

Him performing in rep teams was never an issue.

 

[Old dog]

So Gags taught Mann the super art of running sideways.
I don’t think Gags played strong for QLD/Aust and deliberately made mistakes and missed tackles for the Knights. Was probably being in a weak team and trying to cut off opposition lacking confidence in his teammates.
Yes he is a better player now than back then but most players do get better with experience over length of career until age becomes a factor.
Glad we have him back

 

[Woosh]

During the wooden spoon years who were the captains at the club? Tariq Sims and Trent Hodkinson.
Therein lies the problem.
Who was the 2022 Dane Gagai back then to mentor him and the outside backs? There wasn’t anyone.
The Knights are very fortunate to have him back to be the mentor that he never had during the spoon years.