Match Discussion: Round 5 vs Manly @ McDonald Jones Stadium

[aqua_duck]

Croker is out for a while with a broken jaw.

gees then I guess it will be Saulo by default

 

[The Axe of Druss]

If Young is out I'd bring Edrick in, Simi on the bench in 14, Croker in for Jirah and Hoy in the halves if Clune is no good. Overall our depth is absolutely shot

Which was always going to be our issue this year unfortunately.

 

[Jono078]

gees then I guess it will be Saulo by default

Ugh. Maybe too harsh but Saulo has looked like the Crossland of props so far for mine. Not much impact at all.

 

[Walk On Home Boy]

We can build a competitive team around Ponga. He shits me too, but he isn’t the problem.

Reality is we are only going anywhere producing our own and we just don’t produce many athletes. The blokes running riot against us tonight were bigger stronger and faster. Two weeks in a row our forwards have been steamrolled.

Brian Smith got crucified for it, but he was right to recruit big blokes and teach them to play football, rather than rely on the “hard working” Brodie Joneses of the world that we spit out of our catchment.

I can't agree re Ponga. I think he would still be a massive problem even on half that salary. Doesn't offer enough and is a defensive liability regardless of pay grade.

I wholeheartedly agree that Smith was on the right track though. I enjoyed watching us play during his reign and I still think we haven't looked as good since. Don't dare say that to the average Knights fan though. Smith wasn't a part of the boys club.

 

[Loose Cannon]

Ponga has a contract in place in the form of a player option, its up to him if he takes it

Yeah, I know.

And they came out and claimed he was signed, sealed and delivered for 4 years, but here we are.

 

[aqua_duck]

We can build a competitive team around Ponga. He shits me too, but he isn’t the problem.

Reality is we are only going anywhere producing our own and we just don’t produce many athletes. The blokes running riot against us tonight were bigger stronger and faster. Two weeks in a row our forwards have been steamrolled.

Brian Smith got crucified for it, but he was right to recruit big blokes and teach them to play football, rather than rely on the “hard working” Brodie Joneses of the world that we spit out of our catchment.

and in Smith's defence he didn't have 1/10th of the resources O'Brien has now. Smith for all his faults had a knack of finding diamonds in the rough like Zeb Taia, Mark Taufua, Junior Sau, Kevin Naiqama, Richie Fa'aoso and then at the Roosters he brought in guys like JWH, Daniel Tupou, Aiden Guerra, and Isaac Liu who were all big contributors to the roosters success

 

[aqua_duck]

Ugh. Maybe too harsh but Saulo has looked like the Crossland of props so far for mine. Not much impact at all.

agreed but theres literally no one else.

 

[Jono078]

AOB mentioned the "short turnaround" of 6 days again... Every team is in the same situation! If you keep mentioned short turnaround you start ingraining that to the players heads - 'shit we play in 6 days, gonna be tough to get up for that one but at least coach understands'..

 

[macavity]

agreed but theres literally no one else.

we are literally 2 more injuries from bringing in Real NRL players.

 

[perverse]

we are literally 2 more injuries from bringing in Real NRL players.

So business as usual then.

 

[macavity]

and in Smith's defence he didn't have 1/10th of the resources O'Brien has now. Smith for all his faults had a knack of finding diamonds in the rough like Zeb Taia, Mark Taufua, Junior Sau, Kevin Naiqama, Richie Fa'aoso and then at the Roosters he brought in guys like JWH, Daniel Tupou, Aiden Guerra, and Isaac Liu who were all big contributors to the roosters success

No need to defend Smith to me. We were idiots to lose him. He was exactly the right coach for us at the time and I dare say would have had us entrenched in the finals and competing for premierships in the 2010-2014 period.

 

[aqua_duck]

we are literally 2 more injuries from bringing in Real NRL players.

thats what happens when you dont believe in depth

 

[macavity]

thats what happens when you dont believe in depth

we believe in it, we just recruit badly. The likes of Sue, Moimosea and Jones shouldn’t be first drop.

 

[aqua_duck]

No need to defend Smith to me. We were idiots to lose him. He was exactly the right coach for us at the time and I dare say would have had us entrenched in the finals and competing for premierships in the 2010-2014 period.

and to make matters worse when we turfed Smith we decided his assistant coach by the name of Trent Robinson was also surplus to requirements

 

[Old dog]

If Young is out I'd bring Edrick in, Simi on the bench in 14, Croker in for Jirah and Hoy in the halves if Clune is no good. Overall our depth is absolutely shot

Croker has a broken jaw out for 6 weeks but luckily Crossland is fit

 

[aqua_duck]

we believe in it, we just recruit badly. The likes of Sue, Moimosea and Jones shouldn’t be first drop.

not to mention other gems taking up full time deals like Musgrove, Jack Johns and Saulo

 

[Old dog]

thats what happens when you dont believe in depth

In fairness you didn’t know about Croker so what do you know about depth, 1st grade only?

 

[aqua_duck]

In fairness you didn’t know about Croker so what do you know about depth, 1st grade only?

i know Croker got hurt in NSW cup last week but thought it was a HIA. I also know our starting pack in NSW cup has 2 players with 1st grade experience in Saulo and Simi

 

[Old dog]

Crossland might not star but he certainly Carrie’s the failures of this club along with a couple of others especially when we lose.

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

We know Crossland will go into the halves if Clune is out.
Question is who takes Young's spot.
Sisagi should be in the 17.