Match Discussion: Round 9 vs North Qld @ Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville

[Jono078]

Out for personal reasons apparently. There’s a Telegraph article about it.

Interesting. He's definitely been playing like his mind is not wholly there.

Hope all is good with him.

 

[Bartwah]

I think the Clifford dropping is looking after his mental health to be honest. We all know he had a world class stinker on the weekend, but I couldn’t think of anything worse for the lad than going to his old home ground and the crowd absolutely ripping into him.

 

[Jono078]

I think the Clifford dropping is looking after his mental health to be honest. We all know he had a world class stinker on the weekend, but I couldn’t think of anything worse for the lad than going to his old home ground and the crowd absolutely ripping into him.

I don't like that attitude or mentality at all. What if it's the grand final and it's in North Queensland? What if it's Origin and he's playing in Qld? I get his form would be good in those instances but can't make excuses for players like this one. Gotta rise up to the challenge. Backing away from it wont get any one in the team far. May as well forfeit if it's too hard.

Sorry if that came across super harsh but I think it's ridiculous. Seems like he has other things going on and that's why he's not named, not because he can't handle a game against the Cowboys.

 

[Yosh]

i said a month ago that 20 something games in 1st grade and i cannot recall a single memorable thing he's done and thats still the case. He was straight up awful in the manly and dragons games.
This is the worst spine in the NRL by a long way, take KP out and its arguably the worst spine I've seen in the NRL in probably 15 years

I think Ponga is doing his part in making it the worst spine ever!

 

[Woosh]

Newcastle coach Adam O'Brien says the club is "putting an arm around" out-of-form playmaker Jake Clifford, who has been left out of the line-up to take on former club North Queensland.

Clifford was brutally hooked midway through their 50-2 last-round flogging by Melbourne - their sixth successive loss.

O'Brien has opted for Tex Hoy to replace Clifford against the high-flying Cowboys at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, in a new-look halves pairing with Phoenix Crossland, who comes in for injured halfback Adam Clune.



Clune has both wrist and PCL injuries but the Knights at least have second rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon and winger Dom Young returning to the starting side after knee injuries.

O'Brien said 24-year-old Clifford was low on confidence after the Knights' horror stretch and he benched him for his own good.



"Sometimes you can let guys work their way through ... I think given the position he plays in the team it was a little bit like quicksand for him and it was getting worse," O'Brien said on Tuesday.

"He's just got some challenges around his preparation, mentally for the game and he's pretty down.

"Coaching is knowing when to protect them and that's my job now, to make sure that we're putting an arm around him.

"He's in a difficult spot but he'll come out the other side - he's an integral part of the team.

"We've still got 16 games to go so we need our halves playing well and it's my job to help him."

O'Brien is also working on leadership with superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga, whose captaincy has come under question during the Knights' lean run.

He defended the 24-year-old, whom he said was still learning the role and was missing injured co-captain Jayden Brailey.

"Leadership is an ongoing thing that needs to be practised, just like your passing and kicking," O'Brien said.

"He's a young captain and it's new to him and he's missing a pretty good co-pilot there in Jayden.

"In terms of his leadership in the game I thought he put in a ton of effort.

"He and Inari (Tuala) tried their guts out and that's a form of leadership too."

aka not a good trainer

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Meh, not being a "good trainer" isnt the end of the world. After all guys like Munster, Alf, Cheese, etc are known sub par trainers

Its clear his mind isnt on footy and something else is going on outside of that. A good coach will recognise this and do what AOB is doing. For all his faults as a coach i believe AOB is taking the right action here

Hoy and Crossland in the halves though.....deary me

 

[The Axe of Druss]

I'm surprised so many people are critical of Clifford being dropped. He's been woeful. Yes the Hoy/Crossland combo looks terrible but I'd rather the coach swings the axe a bit and sends the message that continued poor performances won't be tolerated. Yes, I know that Crossland has been rubbish as well but it's not like AOB has many options to work with. Also not ruling out the possibility of a positional switch maybe with Pythian coming in at half and maybe Ponga & Hoy swapping.

I couldn't see us winning this one anyway so I'd rather AOB puts some accountability into them at least.

Pythian isnt top 30, he cant be brought in

 

[Woosh]

Jake Clifford has been left out of Newcastle’s side for “personal reasons” as the Knights head to Townsville with about $4 million – almost half their salary cap - on the sidelines.
So dire has Newcastle’s situation become coach Adam O’Brien was forced to pluck virtual unknowns just to fill out the mandatory 24-man squad on Tuesday.
“We’re banged up,” O’Brien told The Daily Telegraph.

“I might be dragging a few off the street to play.”

Clifford was hooked during the club’s horror 50-2 loss to Melbourne last Sunday and he has been spared a homecoming this Saturday against the Cowboys as he deals with issues away from the field.
“His body is OK, he has some challenges around his preparation mentally for the game,” O’Brien said. “He is down. That’s coaching and knowing when to protect them.
“I’ll put an arm around him. He is an integral part of the team. He has some personal stuff he needs to work on off the field. (Sunday) wasn’t a great day for him. He is the first to admit that… Sometimes it’s like quicksand – it was getting worse and worse.”

Clifford’s stint on the sidelines is not expected to be long-term but he joins a growing list of Newcastle players missing.
Three of their first-choice spine members won’t play against North Queensland with Clifford, Adam Clune (knee) and Jayden Brailey (Achilles) missing.
Clune has tried to play on with a medial ligament injury but has struggled despite his efforts. Throw in Mitchell Pearce, who the club did not replace, and the situation is becoming dire for Newcastle.
It means the Knights needed NRL clearance to call-up Tex Hoy into the side. Hoy and Phoenix Crossland – who have nine combined games of NRL starting experience in the halves – will lead Newcastle against the Cowboys.
Queensland star Dane Gagai (cheekbone), Hymel Hunt (face) and Mitch Barnett (suspended) are other big-names missing. Kurt Mann also joined the injury list with the utility sidelined for the next month after tearing ankle ligaments when he stepped on a teammates foot at training last week.
Dom Young and Lachlan Fitzgibbon (both knee) have been named to return but they still need a final clearance to play while Tyson Frizell is bedridden after he was unable to make it through the 80 minutes last week.
O’Brien has had to name five players outside his top 30 in his 24-man to play the in-form Cowboys.
“The physios are working overtime to get a few up. Tyson is still pretty crook… I’ll be stretching up at the moment.”
The Knights have sunk to last on the premiership ladder with six consecutive losses. O’Brien understands the blowtorch is on his side but is unwilling to concede the season was lost.
“We’re not going to run away,” O’Brien said. “We’re going to fight. It’s not a post-mortem. They care, they are embarrassed. I know people witnessing some of the vision they don’t care. They clearly do. There are standards we can’t expect. We have a reunited front. When you’re faced with adversity you run away or you fight.”


MISSING

Dane Gagai (cheekbone)
Mat Croker (jaw)
Jirah Momoisea (elbow)
Mitch Barnett (suspended)
Bailey Hodgson (elbow)
Hymel Hunt (face)
Kurt Mann (ankle)
Jayden Brailey (Achilles)
Adam Clune (knee)
IN DOUBT
Lachlan Fitzgibbon (knee)
Dom Young (knee)
Tyson Frizell (virus)

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[Old dog]

AOB said they've been discussing moving Ponga into the halves according to Buzz on 360 last night. Also Hoy had been playing 6 in reserve grade but switched positions with the fullback McKenzie Baker out of the blue last game.

Reckon there'll be a few changes on game day.

Thought at the time that was a bit odd

 

[PhilGould]

Pythian isnt top 30, he cant be brought in

Neither is Mat Croker

 

[Apey]

Ugh, I really don't think Ponga is ever going to be a leader. All our eggs are in the basket of a guy who barely seems to care about the game.

 

[Apey]

"Kurt Mann also joined the injury list with the utility sidelined for the next month after tearing ankle ligaments when he stepped on a teammates foot at training last week."

Is there a more Kurt Mann injury than this?

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Neither is Mat Croker

Good point. We must have asked for permission to play him

 

[Loose Cannon]

"Kurt Mann also joined the injury list with the utility sidelined for the next month after tearing ankle ligaments when he stepped on a teammates foot at training last week."

Is there a more Kurt Mann injury than this?

Now he can’t even train good.

Seriously, we clearly don’t improve with all the training in the world, and yet add up the casualties. Maybe we should just play cold.

 

[Jono078]

I'm going to have a yosh moment so bare with me..

Have we ever had Ponga and Hoy play together? What if these two actually create some magic together..

Someone said it above - Say what you will about Hoy but he doesn't die wondering and will probably get us more than 2 points this week!

 

[aqua_duck]

I'm going to have a yosh moment so bare with me..

Have we ever had Ponga and Hoy play together? What if these two actually create some magic together..

Someone said it above - Say what you will about Hoy but he doesn't die wondering and will probably get us more than 2 points this week!

yep, he reminds me of Ben Rogers, there will be way more rocks than diamonds but I'd rather that than Crossland who is either invisible or actively costing the team

 

[The Axe of Druss]

 

[Old dog]

Hoy is not even contracted, possible development contract

 

[Old dog]

Neither is Mat Croker

Think you’ll find that Croker and Milford rounded us out at 30

 

[PhilGould]

He definitely wasn't top 30 when he played earlier this year was my point. NRL are being lenient with letting players from outside the top squad play and I doubt they'd stop Phythian, especially with our injury list.

Depressing that it's even a possibility he may be needed in first grade.