Match Discussion: Round 24 vs Titans @ Hunter Stadium

[perverse]

I always knew we would be in for some grimness after enjoying and benefiting from the career of the best bloke to ever lace a boot. I honestly didn't think it would last this long, though.

I mean it's hard to put it all down to that... but in a way, you kinda can. We never had to learn to be a professional football club with the rest of them. Joey debuted in an era when chook raffles were still a viable way to run NRL clubs, and he retired well after the professional age was in full swing. Then suddenly we're like oh what, how do we do this football thing?

There's been the odd good decision or good piece of news here and there... but for the most part, the past decade has been one shambles to the next. We always trump our little victories with some epic f**king failure.

 

[perverse]

Anyway... what was I talking about? Oh yeah, I'm going to need some very hard drugs to get through the match if Mullen and Sione are out. I'd love to say I was numb to it all... but I'm not.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Le sigh....

 

[Apey]

Was hoping Sione would smash Hayne. Anyone got a titans jersey?

 

[Knightmare]

I always knew we would be in for some grimness after enjoying and benefiting from the career of the best bloke to ever lace a boot. I honestly didn't think it would last this long, though.

I mean it's hard to put it all down to that... but in a way, you kinda can. We never had to learn to be a professional football club with the rest of them. Joey debuted in an era when chook raffles were still a viable way to run NRL clubs, and he retired well after the professional age was in full swing. Then suddenly we're like oh what, how do we do this football thing?

There's been the odd good decision or good piece of news here and there... but for the most part, the past decade has been one shambles to the next. We always trump our little victories with some epic f**king failure.

To be fair, 2006- 2013 wasn't too bad. The only awful year was 2007, with the spoon avoided thanks to an arsey fluke of a win against the Tigers. But there were also a few finals appearances and some decent footy under Smith (and Wayne in August and September of 2013).

Shit has only been toxic since 2014, I'd say the moment Alex Mckinnon went down was the catalyst for what has come since...

I'd also wager that regular finals football (or near misses, with only '05 and '07 being shit) plus two Premierships between 1997 and 2013 gave people a distorted view of deeper problems with the running of the club that have only had the lid taken off the garbage bin in the blazing heat of the past couple of years. All the same, I'd love to follow a relevant team again sometime within the next 5 years.

Re a "curse"- if any club is cursed it's Parra. On track for their best chance at breaking the drought this year, Foran in the halves.....aaaaand then the cap drama hits, Foran goes off the rails and then Hayne, the one player who could turn their fortunes around when they need it most, comes back from chasing his NFL dream and goes to the Tiitans instead. Parra should just retire the #7 jersey altogether. Considering the money they've spent in the past 15 years vs the money Knights have spent in the last 15 years- no comparison for who's been more inept with what they've had.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

I love how EVERY week something happens to completely drain any hope I have for a win whether it be an injury, suspension or just simply dying in the ass at halftime or all of the above.

 

[Glendale]

To be fair, 2006- 2013 wasn't too bad. The only awful year was 2007, with the spoon avoided thanks to an arsey fluke of a win against the Tigers. But there were also a few finals appearances and some decent footy under Smith (and Wayne in August and September of 2013).

Shit has only been toxic since 2014, I'd say the moment Alex Mckinnon went down was the catalyst for what has come since...

I'd also wager that regular finals football (or near misses, with only '05 and '07 being shit) plus two Premierships between 1997 and 2013 gave people a distorted view of deeper problems with the running of the club that have only had the lid taken off the garbage bin in the blazing heat of the past couple of years. All the same, I'd love to follow a relevant team again sometime within the next 5 years.

Re a "curse"- if any club is cursed it's Parra. On track for their best chance at breaking the drought this year, Foran in the halves.....aaaaand then the cap drama hits, Foran goes off the rails and then Hayne, the one player who could turn their fortunes around when they need it most, comes back from chasing his NFL dream and goes to the Tiitans instead. Parra should just retire the #7 jersey altogether. Considering the money they've spent in the past 15 years vs the money Knights have spent in the last 15 years- no comparison for who's been more inept with what they've had.

You've got a point there re Alex McKinnon. Since that accident literally nothing has gone right for the club, only bad stuff. You could maybe even track it back to 19 minutes into the Roosters prelim final, when Bedsy went off. We may be cursed but hopefully it's just a temporary spell.

 

[perverse]

In 2006 Johns was still playing.

2007 - 2013 our peak finish during the regular season was 7th. We played 5 finals matches over that period (with 3 of them being in 2013), losing 3 of 5. We didn't win a finals match from 2007 - 2012 and only played in 2. We were a team that could win half of it's games, half of the time. It was hardly a stellar period, particularly in the salary cap era - and when the salary cap was still doing a job. You rightly point out that it wasn't as bad as what has come from 2014 onwards. We've had a series of almost-recoveries and then fallen in a heap over and over, really.

If you take 2013 out of the equation the period looks much worse. Bennett really did almost weave his magic there.

 

[Knightmare]

The advantage of aiming up from this is the ability to "fly under the radar" a bit without a massive burden of expectation that exists at teams like the Broncos, Bulldogs and Parra. Nobody expects anything great from the Knights anytime soon, barely anybody is taking notice besides us. Whatever team is built from here (provided recruitment isn't Haganesque) will only be concerned about doing what they're coached to and not not what the media says is expected of them.

Cutting a few injury-prone players and some overpaid, under-delivering players from the books would do wonders for the "luck" factor as well...

 

[Noname36]

I think I'm finally on board with the "we're actually cursed" brigade.

I know you make your own luck but shit this club has nothing but bad after bad thing happen.

 

[Noname36]

Cutting a few injury-prone players and some overpaid, under-delivering players from the books would do wonders for the "luck" factor as well...

What are you talking about? The whole f**king squad is injury prone. Plus we've already cut a huge portion of under-delivering players. It's done absolutely nothing let alone "wonders" - they've just gone on to play better for others sides. Tariq is a prime example.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Injuries are going to happen when you have a team of underdeveloped kids up against seasoned NRL players.

I heard mullens injuries are due to his large muscle mass. Not sure how that works though.

 

[Knightmare]

What are you talking about? The whole f**king squad is injury prone. Plus we've already cut a huge portion of under-delivering players. It's done absolutely nothing let alone "wonders" - they've just gone on to play better for others sides. Tariq is a prime example.

CH makes a valid point re. the general age of the squad. In terms of the players eating up cap space, there's a bit of money that could be freed up from Aku (past his peak) and Gagai (looks good in a good team) for starters. Hodkinson is another, but he'll take longer to dislodge. Even Mullen- he's an older player in the squad but how much time does he spend injured? I'd rather see the club cut ties with him and begin looking for a suitable replacement who doesn't have such "large muscle mass"...

 

[Sydney Knight]

What are you talking about? The whole f**king squad is injury prone. Plus we've already cut a huge portion of under-delivering players. It's done absolutely nothing let alone "wonders" - they've just gone on to play better for others sides. Tariq is a prime example.

From all reports Tariq did have a blinder last Thursday but it took the coach to challenge him to step up all week. Both Korbin and Tariq seem able to lift to another level every now and then but plod along in between. Be interesting to see if Tariq can back last week up?

 

[Glendale]

We should have tried Tariq at prop.

 

[slotmachine]

Stevie Wonder could see middle forward was his best spot post double leg break.

Brown better get his shit together quick smart in 2017. He gets a free ride for now, but the list of WTF decisions is mounting.

 

[Burns]

Why am I going to the football today?

 

[Zoidberg]

Game day game day!

We're gonna get our 2nd win of this season today, I just know it!

We are gonna smash em yeah

 

[Knight76]

Why am I going to the football today?

To see if the NYC and Reserves can both make it two in a row?

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Game day game day!

We're gonna get our 2nd win of this season today, I just know it!

We are gonna smash em yeah

This