Match Discussion: Round 24 vs Cronulla @ PointsBet Stadium, Woolooware / Dharawal

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

Always wanting to be better is caring for something.

Newcastle born and bred in the coal fields, the Knights remind me of the neighborhood I grew up in - it's one of acceptance. This is our lot in life, this is our destiny. Dad was a miner so I'll be one too. Reaching for the stars just isnt in the D.N.A

Happy to just make up the numbers.

 

[Reflector]

Always wanting to be better is caring for something.

Newcastle born and bred in the coal fields, the Knights remind me of the neighborhood I grew up in - it's one of acceptance. This is our lot in life, this is our destiny. Dad was a miner so I'll be one too. Reaching for the stars just isnt in the D.N.A

Happy to just make up the numbers.

And yet this wasn't the attitude from the club for the first 15 years of its' existence. Quite the opposite. There was a belief that a rich RL area like the Hunter should produce players good enough to form a successful RL team (which they did through the 90's and early 2000's) and failing that, they should at least be a resilient, physically tough side to play (which they were at the very beginning and showed signs of during the Brian Smith years. Ironically, a number of the toxic positivity brigade are still adamant that Smith "ripped the heart and soul out of the club". The Roosters board obviously thought differently and snatched him away while the Knights board were still dragging their heels about extending Brian's contract. Brian then took the 2009 wooden spoon winning Roosters to the 2010 GF. If that doesn't sum up the Knights since Joey retired, I don't know what else does?)

 

[The Axe of Druss]

For mine the wake-up call should be that the NRL chose to leave the Knights out of Magic Round. Or the fact that opposition teams' fans aren't particularly concerned about hosting Newcastle like they once were. Of course the faithful will still go to away matches, but not in the numbers they used to.

Teams like the Bulldogs, Tigers, Dragons and Eels have a large dormant fanbase who flock to the away matches in big numbers when the side is going well. Newcastle haven't had that for years, apart from home games. If they were good enough to still be relevant, no way in hell would the NRL have dropped them from Magic Round.

I browse the Dragons sub a fair bit also, and at least there's (overall) a greater demand for real success. Same even from Tigers fans (I suppose when you're literally at the bottom, the only way is up but even when they were coming 9th there was more outcry about underperforming). AOB's "finals is good enough" mentality is a reflection of a large part of the fanbase.

The Tigers board on the other hand, have lived off 2005 for too long, likewise the Raiders and any coach who was part of the Green Machine, or the Knights and this notion that having a dig and passionate fans equals success.

I dunno man, I question that BS decision to leave us out of MJ last season. I was at the Fri game the MJ of 2022 against the Bulldogs and the Newcastle chant was deafening. Same with the game against Brisbane last year.

Newie fans travel just as well if not better than a tonne of other clubs, at least here in Brisbane

 

[Woody90]

And yet this wasn't the attitude from the club for the first 15 years of its' existence. Quite the opposite. There was a belief that a rich RL area like the Hunter should produce players good enough to form a successful RL team (which they did through the 90's and early 2000's) and failing that, they should at least be a resilient, physically tough side to play (which they were at the very beginning and showed signs of during the Brian Smith years. Ironically, a number of the toxic positivity brigade are still adamant that Smith "ripped the heart and soul out of the club". The Roosters board obviously thought differently and snatched him away while the Knights board were still dragging their heels about extending Brian's contract. Brian then took the 2009 wooden spoon winning Roosters to the 2010 GF. If that doesn't sum up the Knights since Joey retired, I don't know what else does?)

Brian Smith was the best coach we’ve had since our last premiership with daylight second.

We were never going to win a comp with him but at least I enjoyed watching the side play during that period. The current way we’re playing has sucked all of my enjoyment out of even watching us play.