R1 // Panthers 30-8 Knights @ Sportingbet // Sat 4.30pm

[Chicken_Hunter]

Breaking it down...

Knights back 3 easily
Centres are about even
Panthers should have the edge in the halves without Mullen playing, but that's assuming they had a combination and form... Which they probably won't
Starting packs are pretty close
Panthers have a slight edge in the bench through Segeyaro

If the Knights win odds on the back 3 will be heavily responsible, and the halves will have stepped up without Mullen and the Panthers halves probably lived up to expectations of the haters.

If the Panthers win odds on its the halves firing and Segeyaro off the bench giving us the edge. Which as I type out seems very unlikely in their first game together.

On paper it should be a close game and high quality. But I can't help but feel like Penrith will start slowly and that any side who has good combinations going will be capable of racking up a cricket score.

You are kidding yourself if you think the panthers centres are even close to the knights centres.

 

[TooheysNew]

FYI guys, for those of you with fox, all three grades will be shown on tv on Saturday, starting with NYC at 12:10 on FoxSports one

I'm coming over.

 

[The Showstopper]

Waltzing should be in that team ahead of Waddell. Wayne does find ways to make the head shake sometimes.

 

[Allstar Knights]

You are kidding yourself if you think the panthers centres are even close to the knights centres.

Whare is quality and if Idris can repeat last years form, it's not far off to be fair. Wouldn't take them lightly, anyway.

Wouldn't trade our centre pairing for any in the comp, though.

 

[mxlegend99]

You are kidding yourself if you think the panthers centres are even close to the knights centres.

Dean Whare - NZ international and last year he managed to put David Simmons as equal leading try scorer
Jamal Idris - Was arguably the form centre of the competition last year before injury. Is a former NSW representative and was talked up for a return to NSW before injury last year

I think you're the one kidding yourself. You're being biased with your opinion of the Knights centres if you think they're well and truly ahead of centre pairings like this.

 

[The Showstopper]

So the childish name calling begins. How old are we? Five? Leilua and Dane were absolute guns for us last season. Joey will be lining up alongside Jennings in the centres for NSW if his temperament keeps him in check. His god given ability is now undeniable. NSW' most dangerous backline player in waiting. Idris will struggle to hold Leilua out and that is nothing to do with Jamal's ability. It is simply a case of a very talented centre in Leilua versus a highly competent one in jamal

 

[Spot On]

Thought Hayne would be the first centre chosen for NSW according to Laurie. Jennings couldn't get a run in the WC. The NSW centres are fighting for one position and both Idris and Joey can both be chosen before Jennings if they hit form. Jennings may well be down the pecking order come Origin time.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

NZ international is thrown around quite loosely. Don't forget that we had a nz international centre, junior sau and he is barely FG material.

 

[Noname36]

I rate Whare. I've always seen Idris as incredibly overrated but ironically in the past he's played some of his better footy against us. It'll be interesting that's for sure.

Saying that though I wouldn't trade BJ or Gags for any centres in the comp. The only potential weakness I see in our backline is Uate, and that itself fills me with confidence given he'd be one of the better players at other clubs. Hopefully he picks up his intensity because he has an absolute gun in Mano biting at his heals.

It's disappointing Penrith couldn't find a place for Kev in that side. He's for sure a better player than at least 2 of the back 3 named. Hopefully they know what they have in him.

 

[murraymob]

I rate Whare. I've always seen Idris as incredibly overrated but ironically in the past he's played some of his better footy against us. It'll be interesting that's for sure.

Saying that though I wouldn't trade BJ or Gags for any centres in the comp. The only potential weakness I see in our backline is Uate, and that itself fills me with confidence given he'd be one of the better players at other clubs. Hopefully he picks up his intensity because he has an absolute gun in Mano biting at his heals.

It's disappointing Penrith couldn't find a place for Kev in that side. He's for sure a better player than at least 2 of the back 3 named. Hopefully they know what they have in him.

Kev had a real bad nines .That hurt him a lot in getting into the team.Its only round 1 .I expect him to get plenty off game time as the season rolls on

 

[Noname36]

Kev had a real bad nines .That hurt him a lot in getting into the team.Its only round 1 .I expect him to get plenty off game time as the season rolls on

That's a shame. I didn't get to see much of the Nines. I hope it's just a once off and he struggled in that format. I haven't seen him have a poor game in 2-3 seasons in the top grade. Hopefully he gets a chance to show what he can do because he's way too good not to be in the top grade consistently.

You're right about it only being round 1 too. Hence why I'm not too worried about seeing Waddell's name despite how crap he is.

 

[mxlegend99]

With Idris in doubt, Kev could still be a chance. Also probably won't take long before we lose a player to give him a run, assuming he doesnt get injured before then.

 

[perverse]

I was really shocked at how poorly Kev did in the Nines. Thought he would absolutely murder it. Haven't seen him play that badly since he first arrived at the Knights and had hands like slabs of concrete.

 

[mxlegend99]

He has been around Wes too much and is playing accordingly.

 

[Yosh]

Pressure of playing for a new club maybe? Hopefully he plays like ass and we resign him for cheap lol

 

[Serc]

Interesting that you all say Kev wasn't good in the Nines

I only watched the highlights of each game but in a team that was sorta in the middle of the pack, he had a number of good runs and quality touches of the footy (all of the highlights here: http://nrl.com/DrawResults/AucklandNines/Results/tabid/11377/Default.aspx)

Still not sure why he went to the Panthers where he is in the exact same situation as at the Knights when you weigh up the slight decrease in quality with the increase in quantity of wingers/fullbacks. I can think of a few teams that would kill to have a player of his ability starting this weekend - Dogs, Broncos, and probably Eels.

 

[mxlegend99]

Well Kevin should replace Matt Moylan at fullback, but would only do so temporarily as the position will belong to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak at some point in the near future. Unless he goes on his mission before his first grade debut.

Once that happens, he's stuck fighting with Eto Nabouli, James Roberts, George Jennings, Josh Mansour and David Simmons for two wing spots.

 

[Spot On]

I can see why Kev left us but you have to question why he went to Penrith with the depth they have in his position/s.

 

[Panther Pete]

I was very happy we signed him after watching him play in the semi's for you guys last year but he wasn't great in the 9's and apparently very ordinary in our trial against wests. I still see him getting a spot in our back line at some point, probably taking over either Moylan or Mansour who I think are both too slow.

 

[Joker's Wild]

He didnt get a great deal of game time in the 9s but I thought Kev was one of Penriths best against the Cowboys. I think he set up a couple of tries in that game, one of them with a neat little flick to his winger