Premier League - round 20 - pick the winners

[roopy]

Sorry this is late - I am in mourning for the Knights

 

[roopy]

I think the Knights are gone for the season.
Pretty well all the senior players in PL have been told they arn't wanted for next season - which must be a kick in the guts for a guy like Blake Mueller who has been at the club for about 7 years and has played around 20 games of firstgrade and captained the PL side for at least one season.
Now that they have dropped out of the 8, I can't see them rallying to put in a good end to the season.

 

[girvie]

I think the Knights are gone for the season.

Pretty well all the senior players in PL have been told they arn't wanted for next season - which must be a kick in the guts for a guy like Blake Mueller who has been at the club for about 7 years and has played around 20 games of firstgrade and captained the PL side for at least one season.

Now that they have dropped out of the 8, I can't see them rallying to put in a good end to the season.

Who else will be released apart from Mueller? I thought they were mostly young guys in Premier League. Will Hancock be released?

The Knights are one of the teams that the Bears need to leapfrog to make the finals so i dont mind if they struggle for the rest of the year.

 

[roopy]

Who else will be released apart from Mueller? I thought they were mostly young guys in Premier League. Will Hancock be released?

The Knights are one of the teams that the Bears need to leapfrog to make the finals so i dont mind if they struggle for the rest of the year.

Apparently 12 guys have been told they arn't wanted for next year. Steve Witt is one, Blake Mueller and Andrew Price are others that have been mentioned.
I think the others might be Hancock, Maddison, Spiteri, Young, Bartlett, Jaques, Quigley, Hall and Tremain-Cannon - but I'm only guessing.
I'm sure we will be keeping boom juniors like Snowden, White, Worth, Royal, Berry, Mullen, McManus.

 

[Jeffles]

With the Rosellas playing a bigger role (apparently) will we be seeing Wests Newcastle in the VBPL next year?

Newcastle's players won't chuck it in. They have contracts to play for (contracts with other clubs).

The only possible upset is Norths v Easts and Saints v Newtown. I think everything else will go to plan.

 

[roopy]

I don't think they will rebrand the Knights PL side as the Rosellas - you still have the problem of 90% of Newcastle hating the Maggots (as most people prefer to call them).

I think most of the Newcastle players will either retire or play in the Newcastle comp. Only Quigley is a realistic chance to get a contract to play firstgrade elsewhere.

 

[mightydragon]

If thats the case with supposedly 12 Newcastle players getting the axe after just dropping out of the eight, I'd hate to see what's going to happen at Western Suburbs.

 

[roopy]

If thats the case with supposedly 12 Newcastle players getting the axe after just dropping out of the eight, I'd hate to see what's going to happen at Western Suburbs.

I think the sackings are a result of us getting the wooden spoon this year.
Anyone over 21 who doesn't look a good chance of firstgrade is goneski it seems.
We look like signing Chris Bailey and Danny Vaghan from the local comp (Bailey is the brother of Phil Bailey and played for Country and NSW residents this year - Vaghan is a prop from Maitland who played for Country this year).

 

[girvie]

Here are the results for each team over their last 5 games. It looks like the Bears are the form team of the competition at the moment.

Bulldogs – LWDWW
Magpies – LLLLL

Bears – WWLWW
Roosters – WWLLW

Raiders – WLWWL
Cougars – WLLLL

Eels – LLWWW
Knights – LWLWL

Dragons – WWWDL
Jets – WLWLW

Tigers – LWWLL
Rabbitohs – WLLDW

Sea Eagles – LWLDW

 

[yappy]

If thats the case with supposedly 12 Newcastle players getting the axe after just dropping out of the eight, I'd hate to see what's going to happen at Western Suburbs.

Pretty much the same thing I'd say. We'll just give our Flegg side the spots.

Get your money on the Doggies this weekend

 

[mightydragon]

I hope they will recruit better than just that Yappy

 

[roopy]

The Knights team for this weekend;

Nathan Hinton
James McManus
Michael Young
David Seage
Blake Tremain-Cannon
Todd Maddison
Dane Campbell
Jesse Royal
Nathan Berry
Brendan Worth
Kurt Hancock ©
Matthew Bartlett
Blake Mueller
INTERCHANGE

Matthew White
Nathan McLoughlin
Luke Grant
Daniel Spiteri

Late news from Newcastle this morning is that Maitland prop Danny Vaughan will be added to the Premier League squad for this weekend. The 21 year old, 110kg prop has been released by Maitland for the rest of the season and has signed for the Knights for next year as well. He intends giving up his job as a concreter and concetrating on football. Vaughan is from Sawtell and went on a tour of NZ with Wests Tigers cubs in 2002, by says he blew out from 90kg to 115kg at that time and wasn't playing well. He played for NSW Country and NSW Residents this year, but claims to have never done sprint or weight training, so he feels he has plenty to work on for the rest of the season while training with the Knights.

David Seage will play in the centres, and lock forward Todd Maddison is the latest to be tried in the problem 5/8 position.

 

[Jeffles]

I don't think they will rebrand the Knights PL side as the Rosellas - you still have the problem of 90% of Newcastle hating the Maggots (as most people prefer to call them).

But money talks!

 

[roopy]

But money talks!

The things Wests have done with their money over the years is the problem.
Every club in Newcastle has had wonderful prospects stolen by Wests over the years, only to see most of them end up in reserve grade while less talented Wests guys get to play firstgrade.
They also bankrolled the Mariners - which will never be forgiven.

The majority of a Newcastle crowd would cheer for Manly if they were playing our boys in Rosella jerseys.

 

[mightydragon]

I was referring to Western Suburbs (Campbelltown), sorry for the confusion

 

[girvie]

Here are the Premier League teams
http://www.arlfoundation.com/nswrlfiles/prem20.pdf

The Roosters beat the Bears 36-14 tonight.

 

[yappy]

I hope they will recruit better than just that Yappy

Nah mate - buying outside has been half the problem. We've got good juniors, but for some reason we rate other side's rejects better. Let's face it if we don't buy a single guy and just give the kids a go we can't go any worse. A bit of pride in the jersey that comes from playing for the club since 15 and having a bit of loyalty returned would ensure they go heaps better.

 

[roopy]

Newcastle lost badly to Parra - I didn't get the score.

 

[mightydragon]

I agree Yappy, I was referring to the recruiting of some ex players who were replaced by less talented players.

 

[roopy]

Sydney Roosters 36 (N Plum 2, C Walker, M Lett, G Rovelli, D Dumas tries S Porter 6 goals) defeated North Sydney 14 (B Ngawini, L Salanoa tries R Retimana 3 goals)

Canberra 40 (W Zillman 3, J Ale 2, R Hinchcliffe, M Herbert tries M Herbert 6 goals)
defeated St Marys 26 (L Dyer 2, M Gordon, M Pow, P Aiton tries M Gordon 3 goals)

Parramatta 44 (J Reddy 2, B Delaney, J Hayne, M Perenara, J Afamasaga, Z Taia, J Storer tries B Delaney 6 goals) defeated Newcastle 6 (N Berry try D Campbell goal)