NRL 360 - Knights need to make big cuts to rediscover identity

[knightsarmy]

Which 6 are the ones you would think are the non performers?




NRL season 2015: Knights need to make big cuts to rediscover identity

THE axe needs to swing at Newcastle if the Knights are to get off the bottom of the ladder.

At least that is the opinion of Paul Kent, who said there are too many career players who aren’t willing to do what it takes to win on the Knights’ roster.

KNIGHTS HAVE LOST IDENTITY

Paul Kent and Ben Ikin agreed that the low point of the weekend was Newcastle’s loss to Canberra, which is their 10th in 11 games.

“I’m getting the sense that the success that came easy early has seen them fall into bad habits,” Ikin said, putting their form down to a lack of discipline and mental toughness.

The Knights have forgotten who they are.
The Knights have forgotten who they are.Source: News Corp Australia
“They have no sense of who they are,” Kent continued.

“They had 57 per cent of the possession on the weekend and got rolled. That tells me when they have the ball they don’t know what they’re doing with it. They pretend they know what Newcastle football is about. they don’t know what Newcastle football is about.

“They’re going through the motions of being first grade footballers. They don’t trust and believe in each other.”

Although captain Kurt Gidley came out in support of coach Rick Stone earlier in the week, Kent said the responsibility must lie with someone.

“I think the coach has to play a part,” he said. “That’s nice of Kurt to come out and support his coach, but there are too many players at Newcastle who are career players who aren’t doing what they’re paid to produce.

“They’ve been getting away with it for far too long and they’re going through the motions. The axe has to fall.

“The only chance Newcastle have got is to get rid of half a dozen of their most senior players ... who don’t want to do what’s necessary for success. Get rid of those guys, get some young hungry kids in and just turn them loose and go back and find what Newcastle is about

 

[Loose Cannon]

Do we have to limit ourselves to 6?

1 Gidley
2 Roberts
3 Houston
4 Faalogo
5 Gidley
6 Gidley

Seriously, everyone is derping, but these guys are the ones that need to go. Everyone else has an upside.

 

[Yosh]

The system is flawed at the moment. We have the ball but can't score and defensively we're in shambles. Stone needs to get this sorted.

 

[Elephant Hunter]

1 - Gidley (Never to Return)
2 - Houston (Never to Return)
3 - Roberts (Never to return)
4 - Sione (NSW Cup or Holden to get his confidence back)
5 - Faalogo (only to be used as injury cover if the young guys are out)
6 - Snowden (for a wake up in NSW cup to get him angry)

 

[Rolla]

People underestimate the difference gidley leaving and hokko coming in for tyrone is going to make.

Lack of effort isn't costing us no matter how fashionable that opinion is, lack of quality in key positions is.

 

[The Showstopper]

Kent is right. Very few players at this club aspire to win a premiership. It is job. Nothing more to most. They do not believe they are good enough.The majority of the club's supporter base has that acceptance of mediocrity as a way of life vibe. They just want to exist.

 

[mozza91]

Kent is right. Very few players at this club aspire to win a premiership. It is job. Nothing more to most. They do not believe they are good enough.The majority of the club's supporter base has that acceptance of mediocrity as a way of life vibe. They just want to exist.

This is utter garbage. How would Kent or any of us know what the player's aspirations are? We have nfi and neither does Kent. Maybe the team just isn't good enough.

 

[Knight Vision]

no matter how you try to cut slice or dice it the responsibility falls with those in charge. They set the tone and direction and ensure its followed through.

The key moment for mine is Leilua not putting in at training but still remained in the team. Thats the pivotal moment Stone lost his troops. Leilua should have been dropped so fast the door didnt hit his ass on the way out.

Young boys dont need a mate they need a leader and discipline. Stone seems to be a buddy.

Housten, Jimmy Mac, Roberts, Faalongo and Gidley need to be dropped and or moved on. He hasnt the balls to do and should and will fall on his sword in the process.

 

[Swarzey]

Gidley, Roberts, Fa'alogo, Houston and McManus (or NSW Cup).

Gidley is past it, just isn't up to it in any position although I wouldn't mind him seeing the season out at halfback. He does...alright compared to fullback. Roberts is a five-eight, we've already got a fine one and a Levi/Clydsdale rotation should work fine next season. Fa'alogo is too slow, too poor in the middle; it's no coincidence that we struggle when he's in there especially with Randell. Houston is just shit.

McManus does nothing wrong, if Sione was a solid centre then I wouldn't be including him and just keep Jimmy on the wing but sadly we need a fine centre while Sione develops and he just doesn't have the experience.

I get picked up for it a bit but I was close to putting Snowden in there; he just looks like he doesn't care, gets away with far too many dropped balls called as strips and just generally frustrating to watch.

 

[Noname36]

I don't understand what everyone's problem with McManus is. I think he's past his best easily but I don't think he should come under more fire than some of the others...including the other winger...

 

[Spot On]

I've never been a fan of Snowden Swarzey and have copped plenty in here for pointing out his weaknesses so don't worry about it. He aint up to scratch a most of the time either.

4 to 6 weeks of good form here and there don't make a rep frontrower, which is what some people were saying he is. Some actually thought he was in line for origin this season!!!! WTF?

 

[Noname36]

Thing is with Snowden, like it or not he's been consistently our highest metre earner since he signed. I certainly think he has a lot of weaknesses - and I think his attitude stinks unless it's contract renewal time - but there are a lot of blokes picked in that side consistently that offer much less than he does.

 

[aqua_duck]

This is utter garbage. How would Kent or any of us know what the player's aspirations are? We have nfi and neither does Kent. Maybe the team just isn't good enough.

Maybe not the players individually, but collectively there just seems to be a ln acceptance of mediocrity across the board, Leilua not giving a shit, Tyrone not being able to accept how bad he was playing, Stone's all round refusal to make changes, guys getting new contracts and upgrades left, right and centre. Do we really resemble a team going places?

 

[eozsmiles]

This is utter garbage. How would Kent or any of us know what the player's aspirations are? We have nfi and neither does Kent. Maybe the team just isn't good enough.

If you haven't heard stories about the players lack of effort at training and their massive efforts in the off-field events, then you must be in Antarctica. When players are seen drinking schooners on crutches 3 hours after being injured, there are issues. Committed players stay up all night with an ice pack on it and go straight to the recovery session. Attitude towards preparation and recovery is a pretty good way to test someone's aspirations.

 

[perverse]

It's enough for most of them to be playing first grade. I think the only blokes who genuinely have larger aspirations are actually the ones that are close to reaching them (Korbs, Gags, Sione and some of the younger kids). That's what you get when you don't make the players accountable for their performances, I guess.

We need to get our players aspiring to more than just playing first grade. They need to believe they're good enough and apply themselves to get there. Unfortunately for Stone, that sounds like coach work to me.

 

[eozsmiles]

Gids is copping a bit of a pasting here, and it's true that his best days are behind him. But if they had 17 blokes who tried as hard as him then this thread wouldn't exist. I don't think he fits into the group that Kent etc are talking about. His attitude is ok, he just doesn't really fit into the NRL anymore, not at his price anyway.

 

[perverse]

Gids effort is generally 100%... it's just the rest of the package that is completely dud.

 

[Frederick]

The harder Gidley tries, the more he f**ks up

 

[Joel-22]

Realistically, in the short-term these are the changes that should be made

1.Jake Mamo
2.James McManus
3.Chanel Matautia/Nathan Ross
4.Dane Gagai
5.Aku Uate
6.Jarrod Mullen
7.Kurt Gidley
8.Sam Mataora
9.Tyrone Roberts
10.Korbin Sims
11.Joseph Tapine
12.Tariq Sims
13.Paterik Vaivai

14.Danny Levi
15.Clint Newton
16.Jeremy Smith
17.David Faalogo

dropped to NSW Cup: Randell, Snowden & Sione.

Stone has deadset got to go for 2016 before anyone in the squad.

 

[Rolla]

I don't understand what everyone's problem with McManus is. I think he's past his best easily but I don't think he should come under more fire than some of the others...including the other winger...

You think Jimmy has been better than Aku this year?