Nyc

[Serc]

Frustrating loss.

Herman was the standout from where we were sitting...is born with the ability to get a good offload/flick pass/setup his outside man/etc (played at centre as mentioned). In particlar setup Dwan for his try with a godly flick pass that Matt Gidley would've been proud of!

Will Smith got his traditional intercept try - also made a great tackle on Ryan James at one point too (the huge guy who has played one or two first grade games recently)

Otherwise it was a good close game played in somewhat slippery conditions (a few light showers throughout). I don't think either team was playing particularly badly, and perhaps the Titans stepped it up a little from what their position on the ladder suggests. Also it was good to see us to not let in 30 points and still win Herman was disallowed a try late in the second half for a double movement, when his momentum clearly got him across the line...from memory part of his upper body ended up over the bloody line!!! So we should've won it if that was awarded - but no video ref in NYC!

 

[roopy]

Herman is one bloody good reason we should keep up the ties we developed with the local comp last year.
Late developers like him and Means are just a bonus.

 

[Whats Doing]

Herman has been a standout all year. He is the player that impresses me most and today was no exception.

You are right Serc, that was a try as momentum carried him over line.

Whilst the Titans are not high on the ladder, their last few weeks have been excellent and the knights should be proud of how they played.

 

[Jobdog]

Frustrating loss.

Herman was the standout from where we were sitting...is born with the ability to get a good offload/flick pass/setup his outside man/etc (played at centre as mentioned). In particlar setup Dwan for his try with a godly flick pass that Matt Gidley would've been proud of!

Will Smith got his traditional intercept try - also made a great tackle on Ryan James at one point too (the huge guy who has played one or two first grade games recently)

Otherwise it was a good close game played in somewhat slippery conditions (a few light showers throughout). I don't think either team was playing particularly badly, and perhaps the Titans stepped it up a little from what their position on the ladder suggests. Also it was good to see us to not let in 30 points and still win Herman was disallowed a try late in the second half for a double movement, when his momentum clearly got him across the line...from memory part of his upper body ended up over the bloody line!!! So we should've won it if that was awarded - but no video ref in NYC!

If they had kicked the field goal when I told them to ...

 

[Serc]

You and your bloody field goals!

The next time you see one, you'll be watching it from the top of the goalposts...I'm gonna get a cherry picker and stick you up there!

 

[Serc]

NYC: NewcastleKnights v CronullaSharks
11.45am Sunday 11 July 2010
EnergyAustralia Stadium
1. Peter Mata'utia
2. Nick Dwan
3. Harmony Hunt
4. Will Smith
5. Mitch Williams
6. Adrian Davis
7. Tyrone Roberts
8. Jake Finn
9. Alai Taufa'ao
10. Cruise Wilson
11. Zane Tetevano
12. Matt Herman
13. Ethan Cook (C)
Interchange:
14. Dane Cordner
15. Carl Means
16. Rodney Mason
17. Neenan Simpson
18. Alex McMillan

http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=27602&title=kaufusi-to-debut

Pretty much the same team of recent weeks, though there is no Redman this time around with Taufaao to start at hooker.

For those of you going to the game, you'll get to see Kyle O'Donnell first hand, and it will be the TV game on Fox Sports as well.

Edit: Oh and no Ailaomai as well

 

[roopy]

Redman is probably off at the schoolboy championships this week.

 

[Pika]

Redman is probably off at the schoolboy championships this week.

That is correct roopy.

Josh out, I am told for the season.

 

[Serc]

Bugger - is that leg injury he limped off the field from last week at Skilled? I think I recall him going off on the far side of the field, and the golf cart thingy taking him back to the dressing rooms.

 

[Serc]

Speaking of last week - here's a couple of stats from when they fully updated:

Finn 13 runs for 101m, 23 tackles, 0 missed
Ailaomai 10 runs for 141m, 9 hitups for 125m, 2 line breaks, 1 try assist
Tetavano 14 runs for 123m,
Cook 12 runs for 112m, 7 hitups for 72
Wilson 13 runs for 135m, 9 hitups for 95

Redman 33 tackles, 0 missed
Means 34 tackles

 

[perverse]

awesome attacking stats from Ailaomai... i'm guessing the bloke doesn't like tackling much with stats like that?

very unfortunate regarding his injury.

 

[roopy]

awesome attacking stats from Ailaomai... i'm guessing the bloke doesn't like tackling much with stats like that?

very unfortunate regarding his injury.

I'm guessing that most kids in NYC think running at Ailaomai is a really silly thing to do.

 

[Serc]

He made 'only' 15 last week, though Cordner and Wilson only made 13 and 11 respectively.

But a different angle on it - I don't think many people like to run at him as he dishes out some beatings from time to time. I still remember his shot on Cordner when he was playing at the Roosters last year - huge! And has made countless other bellringers as well.

Edit: yeah - what roop said

 

[perverse]

I'm guessing that most kids in NYC think running at Ailaomai is a really silly thing to do.

that's a fair call too, but i don't buy it as an excuse for poor workload in defence at first grade level... and if you're not used to doing it it can take time to get used to it, if they ever get used to it.

then again Serc reckons 15 tackles... i'd almost consider that a pass mark anyway given his go forward. you can find a role for that in firsts.

is this his last year of NYC?

 

[roopy]

is this his last year of NYC?

No. Him, Cooke, Finn. Mason, Herman and Means all have another year. Cordner, Tetevano and Wilson either go up to the fulltime squad or get cut.

 

[perverse]

how are Tetevano and Wilson going as far as their effort is concerned? earlier in the year, both looked lazy and disinterested... but both obviously have the build and potentially the ability to make the next step up. hard to see us keeping all 3 of Cordner, Tetevano and Wilson though.

Stone clearly has a lot to think about. he better get used to the idea of blooding blokes... because over the next 12 months it's a given that we will need to see if these guys are up to it before we let them go.

i'm glad Josh, Cooke and Finn all have a year to go in NYC. all genuine prospects imo.

 

[Karmawave]

Ailomai has talent but is about as lazy as it gets - that's why he doesn't make many tackles, because frankly if people watch the games, he's often out bludging on the wing trying to catch his breath from his last hit up when the Knights are in defense. ( Or last man strolling back after a kick )

If he works on his fitness/commitment/effort, he could play first grade. Until then he's nothing more than a kid who dominates his age group due to his sheer size and build with the lack of work ethic that suggests he'll never be more.

He'll need a Frank Paul Nuasala like turnaround to his training/commitment/fitness to ever be successful. Not writing the kid off, but he's got a LONG way to go.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Ailomai has talent but is about as lazy as it gets - that's why he doesn't make many tackles, because frankly if people watch the games, he's often out bludging on the wing trying to catch his breath from his last hit up when the Knights are in defense. ( Or last man strolling back after a kick )

Yep, this is what Serc, Jobbers and I observed the other week against the Titans. He'll make a run then put his hand straight up to be interchanged or bludge on the fringes (usually the short side) for the next 3-4 sets.

The kid is as unfit a footballer as Ive seen

 

[Serc]

how are Tetevano and Wilson going as far as their effort is concerned? earlier in the year, both looked lazy and disinterested... but both obviously have the build and potentially the ability to make the next step up. hard to see us keeping all 3 of Cordner, Tetevano and Wilson though.

I try to watch as many of our NYC games as possible - and all 3 of them are going reasonably well. None of them are putting up the sign that says "pick me, I'm a genuine NRL prospect" however. In my opinion their order would be Tetavano, Wilson and then Cordner if i had to split them.

Tetevano seems to have a pretty good workrate these days, and stands out the most of the 3 as a pretty strong runner of the ball, though that is not as hard to do when you're playing in the second row, and the other two guys are in the engine room.

Wilson has had a couple of standout games where he carted the ball up strongly all day (just like Finn's couple of standout matches this year).

Cordner seems to be fairly well rounded as a football player, but without the same effectiveness and workrate in attack that the other 2 guys have - to put the workrate in perspective, he averages 7.7 runs per game, and Ailaomai averages 10.1 runs per game. He seems to be the best defender of the 3, in fact averages the least amount of tackles missed by any player in the team - which is not a bad effort at all considering he plays in the middle of the field.

Ailomai has talent but is about as lazy as it gets - that's why he doesn't make many tackles, because frankly if people watch the games, he's often out bludging on the wing trying to catch his breath from his last hit up when the Knights are in defense. ( Or last man strolling back after a kick )

Yep, this is what Serc, Jobbers and I observed the other week against the Titans. He'll make a run then put his hand straight up to be interchanged or bludge on the fringes (usually the short side) for the next 3-4 sets.

haha yes we noticed that indeed - but I've been having a look at a few things, and I don't think he is as lazy or as unfit as we all think he is.

Firstly, NYC stats don't count the time spent on the field properly, but I think we can confidently assume that he spends the least amount of time on the field out of our forwards. (he makes less tackles than anyone in the forwards, so that reflects the lack of time well). The interesting stat is that he manages more runs per game than everyone else on the team, except for 5 players (2 of which are backs). Cook (11.8), Finn (10.7) and Tetavano (10.3) are ahead of Josh (10.1).

So I get the impression that every week he is told to go all guns blazing for his 20-30 mins out there - which is why he stands out for his huffing and puffing in between his bursts more than anyone else, because he is managing the same amount of carries that some other players complete in 80 minutes. Not to mention the majority of his carries are, quite simply, devastating.

However when I'm at a game I will still make the same jokes about him calling for the medicab after making his one big run for the half - it's the sort of funny stuff you have to get up to in the crowd!

If he works on his fitness/commitment/effort, he could play first grade. Until then he's nothing more than a kid who dominates his age group due to his sheer size and build with the lack of work ethic that suggests he'll never be more.

While most of the above sounds like a vintage Karma polynesian rant - I think if he is able to adjust his fitness a little (quite possible given he turned 19 a few weeks ago) to spend a bit longer on the field, he may very well be getting well within a bulls roar of what is expected of an impact prop in the NRL today. I don't doubt his effort or commitment while on the field - his carries are nothing short of outstanding, and given his short period of time spent on the field, he has a very impressive tally of line and tackle breaks against his name.

you can find a role for that in firsts.

I honestly think Josh is not as far away as many think he is in finding that role. I know you all love me spamming the stats - but here's one more for you to finish off: This year he has already made more line and tackle breaks than he did in the entire 2009 season.

 

[roopy]

Another poor loss by 14-12 to a cellar dweller side.
Kyle O'Donnell scored the winning try for Cronulla, and it was a good one where he did plenty to hold off defenders for 15 metres, but over all he was outplayed by Zane Tetevano who pulled out his best of the season - KOD made 21 tackles and ran 128 metres, while Zane made 31 tackles and ran 195 metres - and when the two came together Zane looked the bigger and stronger.