Match Discussion: Round 4 vs Raiders @ Campbelltown Stadium

[Yosh]

Dally M: 3 - Kalyn Ponga, 2 - Herman Ese'ese, 1 - Bradman Best

I hardly noticed Ese Ese. I would have given Klem 2 for his metres and offloads first half.

Ese'ese brings a spark to the middle whenever he is on. Has less power and punch than Klemmer and the Saifiti Brothers but brings a little x-factor which I find extremely helpful. Has a nice short ball close to the line as well. Nearly got Sione a try against the Raiders.

 

[Still Nutty]

Agreed, we’re no longer a team of kids that relies on ageing former rep players to keep them from totally falling apart on field. We’re now a team with a number of established rep stars as well as a good solid core of genuine first grade quality players and a few talented rookies sprinkled in.

Guerra was a good buy for the club for the value that he added during a really tough rebuilding period. But we’ve got an elite second rower coming to the club next year and that means we need to turn over a couple of players to improve the roster and I can’t see Guerra staying tbh. Maybe a year or two in the super league after this to prolong his career.

Agree with all the comments re Guerra...

But I'd also add what I've said in previous threads, that what Guerra brought more than anything else was a benchmark of professionalism on and off the field that he displayed in word and deed. Not only that but he acted as a vocal leader to hold everybody else to the same standard, which had been sadly lacking in this club for several years prior to his arrival.

He was one of Brown's first and best buys in those early days...he has served us well, helped rebuild and shape our culture to where it is today and I reckon he will be well received in the ESL, where he will have a few good years to build his nest egg at the end of a very good career.

 

[Reflector]

Dally M: 3 - Kalyn Ponga, 2 - Herman Ese'ese, 1 - Bradman Best

I hardly noticed Ese Ese. I would have given Klem 2 for his metres and offloads first half.

That one surprised me too when I saw it. Almost as much as not seeing the 3 points going to Billy Slater.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Agree with all the comments re Guerra...

But I'd also add what I've said in previous threads, that what Guerra brought more than anything else was a benchmark of professionalism on and off the field that he displayed in word and deed. Not only that but he acted as a vocal leader to hold everybody else to the same standard, which had been sadly lacking in this club for several years prior to his arrival.

He was one of Brown's first and best buys in those early days...he has served us well, helped rebuild and shape our culture to where it is today and I reckon he will be well received in the ESL, where he will have a few good years to build his nest egg at the end of a very good career.

Well said! However, I don’t see Guerra having a few years in the ESL. He’s 33 in February, is slowing up and looks gassed for the majority of time that he is on the field. I think he’ll go for one season. 2 tops.

 

[Knight Vision]

Some interesting gps data from the game,

https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/06/11...scores-bests-huge-involvement-in-knights-win/

 

[Old dog]

It highlights his effort and overall fitness of him and others in team

 

[Still Nutty]

Some interesting gps data from the game,

https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/06/11...scores-bests-huge-involvement-in-knights-win/

Along with this data.....https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/06/04/stat-attack-gps-data-shows-fatigue-factor-kicking-in/

This is clearly showing how well prepared and fit the Knights squad is this year under Obi and the training staff - It always amazes me in this age, that there is still chalk and cheese between the fittest and most unfit teams in the competition.

Whilst some of it can be attributed to genetics that give these athletes a big motor, with all the professionalism around the NRL game nowadays, you would think that ALL teams would have a solid structure and an approach to training regimes that should minimise this as being a significant differentiating factor between the top and the bottom across 16 teams...but our performances of having 2 or 3 in the top five of some of these stats, is quite extraordinary to me