R7 | Knights 22-28 Eels @ Hunter | Sun 4.00pm

[Noname36]

For all the talk that Sione needed to be dropped and that he's not a fullback...Gidley has been no better than him back there this year and was horrible today. Was missing for most of the game then popped up at the end in true Gidley fashion and killed it for us. Sione might be quiet at fullback given his lack of experience but he wouldn't have hurt us today like Gidley did.

 

[undertaker]

Great insight.

The negativity is just the wearing down of expectations and the culmination of seeing the club repeat the same mistakes year in and out.

The lack of accountability just crushes me and it more than anything is cancerous. We are good at talking the talk but never follow through and make tough calls. The way Brian Smith and Warren Ryan were treated were a disgrace and the likes of the Knights Nannas do far more harm than good.

Knights Nannas = bunch of old farts who have nothing better to do in their retirement than trying to make sure the club is run the same way it was in 1988. Most of them are not too far away from the nursing home stage, so maybe some changes will take place when that happens.

Regarding Warren Ryan, I remember the HUGE outcry all over the media in the Hunter when he made the decision re:Matthew Johns. It was almost as if he committed heresy during the Middle Ages. Being in high school at the time, I always believed it was the correct decision, but I think most of the Knights supporters who are at least in their mid-20s still have strong memories of that incident and unfortunately that, along with Brian Smith's tenure at the club, are the two reasons why you will NEVER see the current administration make any tough decision on players like Kurt Gidley, who will be able to retire or leave on his own terms (well, it will stay that way whilst his brother is CEO).

 

[perverse]

It won't always be like that, in a time when attention spans are measured in minutes, people want to be entertained and that means winning and success.

I think this is the single biggest error the club and board are making, they are assuming that the fans have nothing to do but support the team, a fatal conceit.

We've been in a hole for a decade and tough decisions need to be made. The best people are required and if they aren't from Newcastle then so be it.

Agreed 100%. In fact, I would speculate that we've already missed out on a generation of potential supporters.

 

[Burns]

So IF Roberts or Mullen were dropped, who comes in?

 

[perverse]

Feeney or Tuimavave. I'd even take a punt on Randell in the halves over Roberts at the moment.

 

[Knightmare]

I kinda feel like our players and administrators are the only people who get anything out of this club. They all get paid the same wage regardless, and can turn up to training tomorrow to give each other a pat on the back and a "better luck next week".

Holy shit, it just dawned on me...


...We are becoming Canberra, but trade the roundabouts for beaches and Skeepe for the emo's.


If things keep going the way they are, hipsters will begin buying Knights merch. and supporting us ironically...

 

[Seage]

In fairness, Gids has had one good game at fullback. Today's certainly wasn't it and he needs to placed on an ice float and sent out to sea immediately if not sooner.

Biggest problem the club has was not being able to get enough money together years ago to make Joey an exclusive halves coach. To have the greatest football brain in history in your backyard to help produce and mentor a generation of smart and skilled players - and then watch him slip through the net and help your rivals is hard to watch.

What sort of coaching have our playmakers had since.

Feeney isn't the answer. I would be surprised if Cogger or Lamb are the answer in a few years. I'd rather have Tyrone. Not a popular opinion, and he has certainly not strengthened my case this year, but whatever....

 

[undertaker]

Here's an interesting question:

If the Knights DID cut Mullen, Gidley and Roberts, which NRL clubs can you think of who'd want to sign either of those players?

 

[undertaker]

Well, we're not exactly going to sign an established half, especially since we've somehow spent our salary cap even though Scott and probably Gidley will leave at the end of the season. We're the only team in the comp that loses 2 of its highest paid players and then can't sign anyone as a result.

Wow, it's unbelievable that Kurt Gidley plays football for more than $200-$250k a season. Breaks my heart. I can't even remember the last time he actually earned that money.

Probably when he was selected to captain the NSW Origin side from the bench:lol:

 

[perverse]

Here's an interesting question:

If the Knights DID cut Mullen, Gidley and Roberts, which NRL clubs can you think of who'd want to sign either of those players?

Bellamy would pick up Mullen at Melbourne and do wonders with him. Roberts might pick up a contract as a backup half somewhere if another club is desperate for a flawed project player. No other team in the comp would even look sideways at Gidley provided that Tim Sheens doesn't pick up a gig somewhere.

 

[Burns]

None. Superleague would snatch them all up.

 

[Noname36]

Mullen would get a club easily, in fact I think Bellamy or Hasler or even Penrith or Manly would pick him up.

ESL would be Gidley and Roberts only chance.

 

[perverse]

Yeah, with the lack of halves on the market, and Mullen having proven in the past he can be damaging, I would say most teams would take a punt on him - and would probably do better with him than we ever have.

 

[Noname36]

Has anyone else noticed that Mullen's best football happens when Gidley isn't on the park or on those rare occasions he steps back a bit? I don't know if it's because he steps back thinking Gidley is the leader due to his seniority or what but I don't think it's a coincidence that Mullen's best and most consistent football came at a time when Gidley had long-term injuries.

Not sure who is more at fault there but it's pretty f**ked that our two senior playmakers play better when the other isn't there.

 

[undertaker]

No other team in the comp would even look sideways at Gidley provided that Tim Sheens doesn't pick up a gig somewhere.

Looks like Gids will be getting picked for the test against NZ at Suncorp:lol:

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Mullen to Manly would be ideal for us. We could sign Bird and play him in the 6 which I believe is his best position. He plays lock like a playmaker anyway in attack. if anything Mullo needs a change of scenery for his own sake. This club has done him no favours. I can't knock his loyalty.

 

[Whats Doing]

My god, you're missing the point :lol:

alf but sign a kid who's had four games of first grade? Come on. You really can't see what's wrong No, sign an outside hwith that? It's a risk, pure and simple. And "scraps" is refering to any and every other halfback that gets thrown about as a better option when the reality is most of them have three or four good games in them; no better, no worse then what we already have.

And please, the media jump all over new kids that come out swinging but please, go head and post every article piece that give him the wraps, plenty of one hit wonders who had the same.

Are you for real!!. What your saying is that you do not sign anyone unless they have proven themselves over a period of time in 1st grade. Thank god you are not on the knights recruitment team but then again it wouldn't matter as they have their heads buried in the sand and don't look outside the square for solutions.

BTW Jack Bird and Keiran Mosely are 2 recent examples of nil or little NRL experience who were signed by other clubs and are both shining for their respective new clubs.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

I believe the truth about young playmakers in first grade is they are never ever ready. It is truly just a case of them being able to learn quickly and adapt. Luke Brooks was touted as the next Joey and yet he is so so TBH. No one ever really knows. Exactly why allowing Lamb and Cogger to build themslevs up for the physicality of First Grade is essential in the next off season.

 

[Seage]

Mullen to Manly would be ideal for us. We could sign Bird and play him in the 6 which I believe is his best position. He plays lock like a playmaker anyway in attack. if anything Mullo needs a change of scenery for his own sake. This club has done him no favours. I can't knock his loyalty.

Greg Bird is a terrible 5/8. An utterly terrible 5/8. He can't pass and doesn't kick. What would we want him there for?

He is a great lock, second rower. Why mess with that?

 

[ryana87]

Stone said in the presser "you Ca t call yourself an nrl player and keep making the same dumb mistakes every week"...... He didn't name names, so I assumed he was referring to the halves or gidley (sitting right next to him with a dumb look on his face) ....... But then he said our halves didn't play too bad.......

So who does that leave?...... Houston didn't make his usually stamp on the game.... So I'm confused