Match Discussion: Round 5 vs Manly @ Glen Willow Regional Stadium, Mudgee

[perverse]

Don't worry Mann will slot back in immediately and ruin the ball movement.

Ah shit... I was really enjoying forgetting he existed.

 

[Spot On]

I think in a weird way losing Klem and having J saf suspended as helped us in attack. When we had those 3 big middles I think AOB thought we could just barge over teams and there was a lot of one out football, without Klem and J Saf I think it’s forced us to be abit more focused on mobility and playing abit more laterally

Yes, nail on the head here Aqua, without any doubt. Great point.

Add to that a very good halfback and Miller retuning the ball as a good fullback should plus giving try assists and we are looking like a footy team.

 

[Alex28]

I think in a weird way losing Klem and having J saf suspended as helped us in attack. When we had those 3 big middles I think AOB thought we could just barge over teams and there was a lot of one out football, without Klem and J Saf I think it’s forced us to be abit more focused on mobility and playing abit more laterally

You really think Klem running 200 metres but stifling attack was an AOB plan?

Klem does what he wants. It’s clear as day at the Tigers. Makes a heap of metres but for what.

There is a reason why we got rid of him even if he was popular with the players and we are paying half his salary not to be here.

 

[Knight Tales]

I think we can all forget about Obi being sacked this year. It is like he has decided to throw everything he was taught out the windows and coach as he sees it. He has players who respond and I think he has given them a lot more latitude to play as they see it.

 

[Yosh]

Great game. Great great game. Even greater effort from the boys. We would have folded in the first 9 minutes of that game in seasons gone by. Fantastic 90 minutes from the lads. Some weird tries we conceded though. Can't think of anyone having a bad game. Miller was in no man's land a couple of times but he has literally played like 10 games of League so far in his life.

Really sux we are losing Young. Hopefully, he gets to play all the remaining games and scores another 20 tries this season. With Young and Marzhew, we have perhaps a top 3 winger combo in the game. Best and Gagai look like new players. Best is finally living up to the hype and Gagai looks 22 not 32.

Ponga is going to make us even more dangerous with ball in hand when he comes back. With Jacob and Elliot back, we are going to be stronger in the middle. I still think our bench rotation is very weird. Can't afford to carry more than one of Mann, Crossland, Johns, Gamble in the team. Maybe 2. Johns looked a much better option at 13 than Mann and Gamble is a stud.

Hastings is probably the best 'halfback' I've seen in Knights colours since Joey. Pearce and Mullen were good players but not halfbacks in the pure sense. We still need a goal kicker who kicks 80% though.

Fantastic game and great result! Can't wait till next week!!!

 

[aqua_duck]

You really think Klem running 200 metres but stifling attack was an AOB plan?

Klem does what he wants. It’s clear as day at the Tigers. Makes a heap of metres but for what.

There is a reason why we got rid of him even if he was popular with the players and we are paying half his salary not to be here.

obviously Klem takes a lot of hit ups and that’s a Klem thing but the game against the tigers, the Saifiti boys were also taking a lot of runs in the red zone I mean for a few years now we led the league in one out runs, that’s not a stat that is purely Klemmer’s fault despite what you might believe. I think there was a definite plan to play direct and dominate in the ruck but with the loss of so many middles as with Ponga not there the usual game plan of role up the middle and then set it up for Ponga and hope for the best isn’t plausible anymore.

 

[Knight Tales]

You really think Klem running 200 metres but stifling attack was an AOB plan?

Klem does what he wants. It’s clear as day at the Tigers. Makes a heap of metres but for what.

There is a reason why we got rid of him even if he was popular with the players and we are paying half his salary not to be here.

Great game. Great great game. Even greater effort from the boys. We would have folded in the first 9 minutes of that game in seasons gone by. Fantastic 90 minutes from the lads. Some weird tries we conceded though. Can't think of anyone having a bad game. Miller was in no man's land a couple of times but he has literally played like 10 games of League so far in his life.

Really sux we are losing Young. Hopefully, he gets to play all the remaining games and scores another 20 tries this season. With Young and Marzhew, we have perhaps a top 3 winger combo in the game. Best and Gagai look like new players. Best is finally living up to the hype and Gagai looks 22 not 32.

Ponga is going to make us even more dangerous with ball in hand when he comes back. With Jacob and Elliot back, we are going to be stronger in the middle. I still think our bench rotation is very weird. Can't afford to carry more than one of Mann, Crossland, Johns, Gamble in the team. Maybe 2. Johns looked a much better option at 13 than Mann and Gamble is a stud.

Hastings is probably the best 'halfback' I've seen in Knights colours since Joey. Pearce and Mullen were good players but not halfbacks in the pure sense. We still need a goal kicker who kicks 80% though.

Fantastic game and great result! Can't wait till next week!!!

I would challenge the Klem being popular theory. He is notoriously insular.

you cannot put a value on Jacko. he has found his true home here. Would not swap him for another half in this comp. He drives this side cos they listen and believe in him. The players are owning their individual games cos he holds himself and others to account.

 

[Spot On]

I think we can all forget about Obi being sacked this year. It is like he has decided to throw everything he was taught out the windows and coach as he sees it. He has players who respond and I think he has given them a lot more latitude to play as they see it.

Very unlikely he’ll get the boot if the team is winning.

Different story if we finish bottom 4 again.

There’s a long way to go - Warriors, Panthers, Cowboys and Eels next four weeks.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

Good fight from the Knights today. Seem to be more together as a team than I have seen for a long time.

 

[Reflector]

I don't think anything would shit me more than a DCE field goal to win this one.

I can't stand that smug prick. He reeks of GPS Rugby, shiny white Land Rover, thinks millennials complaining about the housing market is a load of nonsense because Mummy and Daddy contributed 75% of the deposit he put down to buy his 3 bedroom two story Ascot home at auction.

He is exactly the reason people with two last names have the reputation they do.

 

[macavity]

Was in the tattooists chair for the game. Avoided it, watched when I got home (recording from foxtel)…. It ended as Miller hit the kick

They are having a huge dig. Hopefully this season is a turning point in the culture of the club.

 

[Knight Tales]

If you had told anyone having KP out would be the catalyst for the biggest form turnaround in the NRL, you would have been called mad. Well O’Brien now has his prized player as his aces high card.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I was working at the Speedway and missed most of this. Caught about the second 20 mins and tuned in towards the end. Not much left and they'd hit back and I thought it was over.
Great effort for a draw. I have to tune in to the end

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

If you had told anyone having KP out would be the catalyst for the biggest form turnaround in the NRL you would have been called mad. Well O’Brien now has his prized player as his aces high card.

Realisation that we aren't relying on him which is great. If he can add more if/when he's back all the good but I hope we don't use him as the go to.

 

[Alex28]

Very unlikely he’ll get the boot if the team is winning.

Different story if we finish bottom 4 again.

There’s a long way to go - Warriors, Panthers, Cowboys and Eels next four weeks.

If we only win one of those 4, but the effort and fight to win is there, I’m more than happy with that.

I just can’t see Jackson Hastings allowing these blokes to cave and give up like the last few years.

I personally think this is the way AOB has wanted to coach all along. He inherited Mitch Pearce and Dave Klemmer where all the money (along with Kalyn) was tied up, so that’s what he had to work with. Last year he had no halves. Now he has the players who not only want to throw it around and create something, they have the ability and belief.

 

[mozza91]

Plenty of resilience and fight in the team this year.
Using the football as well, who knew?

Really hope Ponga comes back next week and can string some games together. His speed and footwork will be deadly on the back of good shape. And Elliot possibly back playing as a ball playing lock like at Canberra can add an another dimension to the attack.

Got to give credit to Obi. There’s been a huge improvement in attitude overall and guys like Fitzy, Johns and Best are playing the most consistent footy I’ve seen from them. Some issues defensively but geez it’s nice to see some enterprising attack. Keep it up fellas.

 

[HarVeeGee]

Realisation that we aren't relying on him which is great. If he can add more if/when he's back all the good but I hope we don't use him as the go to.

The attack should mostly stay pretty much exactly the same, just with some variations where we get KP good ball in his favoured positions to take his shot. The key is that he can’t be options A through Z like he was last year. The best strike weapon, but one among several.

Been playing with really nice shape and depth and Hastings and Miller really seem to have natural chemistry (with Gagai too), which is a stroke of good fortune on our part. You can’t predict guys are gonna connect this well with only part of a pre-season together.

Our right side attack has been lethal, stronger than the left, tantalising to think what we might be able to do with the ball when we add maybe the most dangerous left side attacking player in the comp to the team.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

We've moved into 9th so far and are favourites (just) against the Warriors.
How long since we've been odds on?

 

[HarVeeGee]

If Elliott is back for us and Tohu is out for NZ, that’s huge.

 

[Jono078]

The attack should mostly stay pretty much exactly the same, just with some variations where we get KP good ball in his favoured positions to take his shot. The key is that he can’t be options A through Z like he was last year. The best strike weapon, but one among several.

Been playing with really nice shape and depth and Hastings and Miller really seem to have natural chemistry (with Gagai too), which is a stroke of good fortune on our part. You can’t predict guys are gonna connect this well with only part of a pre-season together.

Our right side attack has been lethal, stronger than the left, tantalising to think what we might be able to do with the ball when we add maybe the most dangerous left side attacking player in the comp to the team.

I think you’re making it sound too easy.

There’s a simplicity to Gamble’s game of just moving the ball out wide. With Ponga it’s almost like his outside men aren’t on the same pace and sometimes Ponga will try to force things.

If Ponga can simplify his game a tad then I’m sure he and the team will get lots of benefits.

If can get Ponga to think run-first then I think that fits best with out current style. Him going in with a run-first attitude will draw numbers and then open up his passing game.