Newcastle Knights...a neutral's perspective

[Rod]

Again, far from NRL standard is a massive exaggeration. Snowden didn't have his best year but he was an Australian prop last year, he has the ability. Mason's age is irrelevant, he had a great season whether he is 31 or 21.

Smith, Scott and Houston with McKinnon as a back up is a very useful backrow. Saying the 6 guys above are far from NRL standard is just ridiculous.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Hope he starts of the bench for Bedsy. He will murder teams out of dummy half with his running. Doesn't have to get tricky with play making. Put the odd kick in and tackle his arse off.

I have doubts that Gidley will be used off the bench at all next season, but if he is, I would like him to be used as a replacement dummy half. Like you said, it would be better to have Buderus starting. Buderus is a seasoned veteran who is still playing to a high standard. Gidley has shown, particularly in origin what he is capable of out of dummy half against tiring forwards. As I said though, I doubt very highly that Gidley won't be in the run on team at probably halfback.

I don't know what this will mean for Roberts. Over the back half of the season, Roberts overall performances kept improving. His confidence was clearly on the rise and what he was offering the team with both the ball in hand and also his off the ball work was pleasing.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

So McKinnon, Houston and Scott are below NRL standard? Wow....

I see a lot of promise in Mckinnon. To me he just seems like he is lacking a bit in size (not a surprise given his age). At times he was demonstrating that he is an aggressive type of player who can try and lift the players around him. I can see 2013 as being a very good year for him. Houston and Scott have proven themselves over a long time to be NRL standard players.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Of course they are NRL standard mate. My post was mocking Spot On for suggesting otherwise

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Of course they are NRL standard mate. My post was mocking Spot On for suggesting otherwise

I know champ. I was agreeing with you . Appologies if I was a bit ambiguous in my reply.

 

[Joker's Wild]

lol ok then. All good

 

[Spot On]

Do you blokes believe the backrowers we had this year are doing the job in attack?

 

[Spot On]

Again, far from NRL standard is a massive exaggeration. Snowden didn't have his best year but he was an Australian prop last year, he has the ability. Mason's age is irrelevant, he had a great season whether he is 31 or 21.

Smith, Scott and Houston with McKinnon as a back up is a very useful backrow. Saying the 6 guys above are far from NRL standard is just ridiculous.

Leave Scott and Smith out of it. They didn't play for us in 2012.

From where I sit, I could not convince blokes who watched our team that we had a pack that did the job in attack this year.

Snowden is so far from the version that played for Aus that many wouldn't believe he got a run in the Green and Gold watching him this year.

Mason's age is extremely relevant. He was at his best nearly seven years ago. Yet he shows up here and Bennett got the best out of him. He aint no spring chicken. There's a thread about the best buys of the year in which Mason is mentioned ad nauseum. He was our standout player after his debut for us as supporter by the users in this forum in the KOTW voting since he arrived. Not bad for a bloke that hadn't had a run in the NRL for a few years. He'll be 33 in April 2013. The much younger players in the pack need to lift immensley to be as impressive as he has this season.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Hang on mate, you said "The rest are far from NRL standard and watching the semis this week has driven home how far behind we are in terms of a decent pack. Very far behind." This implies that we are far behind for next year too. There is no point talking about this year given the number of players leaving.

Now given we are adding Scott and likely Smith to our pack it makes things a whole lot better for ourselves next year. Also add in young guys like Rochow who has been very good in attack, Sims who is probably one of the best ball playing props in the NYC and now young Likiliki who is along the same lines and you can see why Wayne has not gone so heavily into the market for forwards as we might have expected.

Oh and just on Masons age. Peitro retired this year at 36 still playing rep footy, no reason Willie cant do the same given the break his body has had. Even 2 more seasons out of him would keep us in very good stead and his influence and leadership will be invaluable to the younger blokes.

 

[Spot On]

Hang on mate, you said "The rest are far from NRL standard and watching the semis this week has driven home how far behind we are in terms of a decent pack. Very far behind." This implies that we are far behind for next year too. There is no point talking about this year given the number of players leaving.

Now given we are adding Scott and likely Smith to our pack it makes things a whole lot better for ourselves next year. Also add in young guys like Rochow who has been very good in attack, Sims who is probably one of the best ball playing props in the NYC and now young Likiliki who is along the same lines and you can see why Wayne has not gone so heavily into the market for forwards as we might have expected.

Oh and just on Masons age. Peitro retired this year at 36 still playing rep footy, no reason Willie cant do the same given the break his body has had. Even 2 more seasons out of him would keep us in very good stead and his influence and leadership will be invaluable to the younger blokes.

Yep point taken JW. Initial post was intended to only include the cattle we have had this season. I can't comment on Scott and Smith and how they will play for us. I hope it is f**king well though. We will see. They aren't here yet. I stick to my thoughts about our2012 pack. They weren't not good enough. They don't intimidate any side and they are poor in the offensive aspect of the game.

I'm supportive of Mase mate. I wasn't a fan before he came here and he played to a high standard every game with the exception of the last two rounds. He was great to watch. Too bad some of his stuff failed to wash off on others. And yes he could get through a couple more seasons. I hope our other props take notice and lift their game.

 

[Joker's Wild]

No doubt our pack sucked mate, its been well documented in here over the year. Looking forward though ( pun intended) our piggy stock is looking much better next year.