Newcastle Knights' Draw in 2018. Harsh?

[Choppy182]

I can't help but notice the Knights get a pretty stiff end of the deal when it comes to the Draw in the first quarter of the season.

This season, we have 2 home games in the first 8 rounds of footy (least by any team) One in Rd 1, the other in round 5. almost a month in between each home game, in 2 months of footy. On the flip side, some teams have 5 home games in the first 8 weeks. Surely theres a better system?

I recall back in 2016 also, in the first 7 rounds, we also had 2 home games, the rest were trips to Canberra, NZ, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Brisbane. Again seems strange the poor performing teams are being dealt with the tough draws.

Personally if we can win 50% of these game that would set us up for a decent crack at making the 8 this year. But we'll have to overcome trips to Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and again Manly.

 

[mozza91]

We’re never gonna get any favours fro. that dickhead Greenberg and his cronies at the NRL. Hell they want to fine us for being under the salary cap.

 

[Spot On]

It's not hard to create a draw that is fairer to all. Why they can't play a full 15 rounds where you play the other 15 teams before facing half the comp for a second time is beyond me. I understand some fixtures can't be moved due to what's become traditional clashes ie Rooster v Drags on ANZAC Day etc but it just can't be that hard. Can it???? Surely we can move away from the same teams clashing 4 or 5 weeks apart.

Just dumb imo.

 

[Old dog]

It's all about TV and the better clubs with little or no regard to the rest or the fans.
No side should have to go more than two weeks 3 tops away or home and another thing is when you play in the week, never should play Thursday one week then Sunday following or Sunday then play Thursday too long or short a turn around.

 

[macavity]

Fairness doesn't come in to their thinking. All about the favoured teams.

 

[Still Nutty]

I don't think it would be a significant factor, and not being a Jets follower, but does their draw impact on the stadium availability and whether League can be played in the day or 2 leading up to their fixture?(i.e. potential 'damage' to the playing surface by League prior to and A league game)...

I agree with all the other assessments of the League generally favouring certain teams and TV opportunities ahead of fairness - that's why we get (and will continue to get) 6.00 PM Friday games 1) because we don't matter in the scheme of things and 2) we (the supporters) re-enforce their belief that the Knights 'like' this timeslot by the number of fans that rock up, even though it is one of the worst scheduled slots in the NRL.

We almost need a communal fan boycott of that time slot (even for 1 round) to tell the NRL that we deserve better but while ever we are loyal and dedicated in spite of the time slot, we won't see any change.

 

[Burwood]

On the flip side, we have got about 58 home games in a row during the middle of the season.

 

[Still Nutty]

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/threads/2018-draw-announced-full-season-dates.467034/

thought I remembered covering some of this earlier...sentiment hasn't changed though

 

[Frederick]

On the flip side, we have got about 58 home games in a row during the middle of the season.

Yeah my wife's really looking forward to being left alone with the kidlets for those 58 weeks.

Thanks Toddy for making my life a living hell during the middle of winter

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

It's not hard to create a draw that is fairer to all. Why they can't play a full 15 rounds where you play the other 15 teams before facing half the comp for a second time is beyond me. I understand some fixtures can't be moved due to what's become traditional clashes ie Rooster v Drags on ANZAC Day etc but it just can't be that hard. Can it???? Surely we can move away from the same teams clashing 4 or 5 weeks apart.

Just dumb imo.

Im not even sure this is mathematically possible. But even if it is, i this really the best thing to focus the draw on?

Every demand you make on the draw means giving something else away:

- play all 15 opponents before playing anyone twice = one team not playing a home game until round 16.
- A perfect alternation of Home-Away-Home-Away-etc = not playing half of the teams in the comp
- Try to do any of this = losing control over when/where derby games occur.

Any team that complains about an "unfair" draw was probably too shit to make the finals anyway. Id rather an entertaining season than a draw designed to please an autistic kid...

 

[Loose Cannon]

Im not even sure this is mathematically possible. But even if it is, i this really the best thing to focus the draw on?

Every demand you make on the draw means giving something else away:

- play all 15 opponents before playing anyone twice = one team not playing a home game until round 16.
- A perfect alternation of Home-Away-Home-Away-etc = not playing half of the teams in the comp
- Try to do any of this = losing control over when/where derby games occur.

You must bulk-Bill!

 

[Pedge1971]

I can't help but notice the Knights get a pretty stiff end of the deal when it comes to the Draw in the first quarter of the season.

This season, we have 2 home games in the first 8 rounds of footy (least by any team) One in Rd 1, the other in round 5. almost a month in between each home game, in 2 months of footy. On the flip side, some teams have 5 home games in the first 8 weeks. Surely theres a better system?

I recall back in 2016 also, in the first 7 rounds, we also had 2 home games, the rest were trips to Canberra, NZ, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Brisbane. Again seems strange the poor performing teams are being dealt with the tough draws.

Personally if we can win 50% of these game that would set us up for a decent crack at making the 8 this year. But we'll have to overcome trips to Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and again Manly.

We win 30% and stay injury free we will go close. But yeah all we can do is keep showing up and winning and we become marketable again.

Wests get it.

 

[Alex28]

Next 4 games.

Roosters
Dragons
Broncos
Storm

What do we consider a pass mark?

 

[Swarzey]

Competitive in all 4 games, no blow outs would be a pass. A win will be great, two wins will be grand, 3 will be excellent and 4 would be a dream.

Again, I've said it all preseason and will preach it all season long, a loss isn't going to hurt us and losses should be expected. Our expectations should be low despite the hype and excitement (well deserved but still). The next 4 weeks are tough but they'll be an indicator of more where this team is at in terms of developing, not where this team is going to be for the next 3-5 years. They're great tests and I get that losing is tough to cop especially after the last 3 years and it's even easier to fall back into that feeling of doom and gloom, of hopelessness, but I feel the draw works best for us because it's going to keep us grounded. I'd rather have this draw now rather than at the back end of the season where we're way in over our heads about our prospects.

Easier said then done but just temper excitement each week. Don't be disappointed because already this side has shown a touch of class and immense potential. At some point - I hope and pray at some point this season - this side is going to click and will blow some teams right off the park.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Competitive in all 4 games, no blow outs would be a pass. A win will be great, two wins will be grand, 3 will be excellent and 4 would be a dream.

Again, I've said it all preseason and will preach it all season long, a loss isn't going to hurt us and losses should be expected. Our expectations should be low despite the hype and excitement (well deserved but still). The next 4 weeks are tough but they'll be an indicator of more where this team is at in terms of developing, not where this team is going to be for the next 3-5 years. They're great tests and I get that losing is tough to cop especially after the last 3 years and it's even easier to fall back into that feeling of doom and gloom, of hopelessness, but I feel the draw works best for us because it's going to keep us grounded. I'd rather have this draw now rather than at the back end of the season where we're way in over our heads about our prospects.

Easier said then done but just temper excitement each week. Don't be disappointed because already this side has shown a touch of class and immense potential. At some point - I hope and pray at some point this season - this side is going to click and will blow some teams right off the park.

Amen brother!!!

 

[Alex28]

Competitive in all 4 games, no blow outs would be a pass. A win will be great, two wins will be grand, 3 will be excellent and 4 would be a dream.

Again, I've said it all preseason and will preach it all season long, a loss isn't going to hurt us and losses should be expected. Our expectations should be low despite the hype and excitement (well deserved but still). The next 4 weeks are tough but they'll be an indicator of more where this team is at in terms of developing, not where this team is going to be for the next 3-5 years. They're great tests and I get that losing is tough to cop especially after the last 3 years and it's even easier to fall back into that feeling of doom and gloom, of hopelessness, but I feel the draw works best for us because it's going to keep us grounded. I'd rather have this draw now rather than at the back end of the season where we're way in over our heads about our prospects.

Easier said then done but just temper excitement each week. Don't be disappointed because already this side has shown a touch of class and immense potential. At some point - I hope and pray at some point this season - this side is going to click and will blow some teams right off the park.

Absolutely agree with you. We need to be patient with them. If we are 2 from 6 the sky isn’t falling...

 

[mozza91]

1 out of 4 would be ok provided the 1 win is against Brisbane.

 

[Old dog]

Of the 4 Broncos would be the most likely, I expect the other 3 to be in semi's at end of year.

 

[mozza91]

Dragons are beatable aswell. They’ve been pretty good so far but no better than we’ve been. The other 2 will be very tough though.

 

[Glendale]

At the start of the season when looking at the draw with 6/8 away from home in the first 8 rounds, I thought 4/8 would be a great start and would put us in a pretty good position considering 10 of the next 14 will be at home. From that I think the best way to do it would be to take care of our 2 home games... Manly: tick. And pick up 2 on the road. Broncos won't be easy but hopefully we can do it, and from the 5 away games left the Tigers game looks the most winnable. Pick up any more then 4 wins from the first 8 and we are looking really good.