Rumoured targets thread

[K-Man]

Vai Vai is the one for me. He's got it all and to me he's not far at all behind Korbin in football terms, it's just that he is seemingly a long way down the pecking order for whatever reason. But I could barely split them whenever they played together.

On Weyman, I like him but I'd probably rather one or two of our younger props be ready to step up next year than have Weyman in the way. It's a good signing though.

 

[The Showstopper]

I see that bandied around a lot but IMO the best props in the game currently are Scott, Tamou and Fafita.

27, 24 and 23.

Fafita has plenty to do before he is on Scott and Tamou's level. Origin will sort him out as to how good he is or will be. The raps Fafita is getting are deserved but it is at club level.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I see that bandied around a lot but IMO the best props in the game currently are Scott, Tamou and Fafita.

27, 24 and 23.

Yeah that's a good point, however I do feel that the rule does apply to props getting better with time. I mean there could be a case to say that the 3 props you mentioned, could very well be even better players then they are now given a few more years.

Just in the history of the knights, there is a good case that props improve with age. Butterfield became twice the player after he turned 30. Harragon got better and better until his knee started to seriously kick it in. Matt Parsons was always good, but improved later in his career. Then you can look at other clubs with players like Price and Petro.

 

[Frederick]

Yeah that's a good point, however I do feel that the rule does apply to props getting better with time. I mean there could be a case to say that the 3 props you mentioned, could very well be even better players then they are now given a few more years.

Just in the history of the knights, there is a good case that props improve with age. Butterfield became twice the player after he turned 30. Harragon got better and better until his knee started to seriously kick it in. Matt Parsons was always good, but improved later in his career. Then you can look at other clubs with players like Price and Petro.

Don't forget Craig smith!

 

[The Showstopper]

Yeah that's a good point, however I do feel that the rule does apply to props getting better with time. I mean there could be a case to say that the 3 props you mentioned, could very well be even better players then they are now given a few more years.

Just in the history of the knights, there is a good case that props improve with age. Butterfield became twice the player after he turned 30. Harragon got better and better until his knee started to seriously kick it in. Matt Parsons was always good, but improved later in his career. Then you can look at other clubs with players like Price and Petro.

All good points. Don't get me wrong champ, Fafita, Scott and Tamou are superb talents at a young age. They may well not go on with it post 30. As i said the props ageing well theory is merely my observation.

 

[rnb11]

Completley agree K-Man, Tetevano is an absolute beast in attack, he's devastating but his defence is very ordinary and always has been. If he can somehow fix that he'll be a star for us. As for Vaivai, he and Sims were always dominating teams together in the NYC, they've both been hailed as our future props for years but I'm pretty sure he's been injured and he only just played his first game of NSW Cup a week or 2 ago. I thought he was a bit rusty but as you said he's got it all and will keep getting better. He, Toka and Frei will all be next in line for debut's you imagine. The others seriously need to work on their fitness first.

 

[Allstar Knights]

I see T Likiliki as our most damaging prop, the guy is an absolute brute to handle when he winds up. Not the fittest bloke, but give him a year or so in NSW Cup and he'll be ready for FG next year. He'll give us some serious impact off the bench, I dare say a Kasiano 2.0.

Vaivai and Frei have bigger motors though and also produce plenty of quality hitups. Yeah, Sims was getting all the wraps in the 20s, but Vaivai was right up there with him and sometimes even better. We had a terrible NYC team, but our victories nearly always came off the back of those 2.

 

[RABK]

I like Weyman as a player because he never shirks the true duty of a good prop - taking the tough first hit up to get his side a roll on. He attracts 3 defenders yet usually powers over the advantage line and gets a quick play the ball. For all his issues with injuries and the fact he looks quite unfit, he always puts his hand up for the first hit up.

I wouldn't really care if we didn't sign him but i can see him helping Kade and forming a pretty damn good front row with him.

 

[The Showstopper]

I think long term we have to accept we will have to build from within. Bennett is changing our culture big time but we need to be patient as he will leave us in a better place. I do not see Bennett winning a title here. Not enough clutch players. We will however be very tough to beat. Weyman is another big step in the right direction as he is rock solid. I am very happy with our current state of play. I know others are less patient. I would not mind a younger coach taking the reigns post Bennett. Stoney had his chance and took us as far as he could. Robbo or Maguire.

 

[aqua_duck]

I don't see how Bennett is changing the culture tbh

 

[Burwood]

Just so I'm clear on this, what exactly is the culture that Bennett is bringing to the club?

 

[Yosh]

I don't see how Bennett is changing the culture tbh

I think he is. From a losing culture to a winning culture.

 

[aqua_duck]

Winning on the training paddock? Because I haven't seen seen the winning culture on the field

 

[The Showstopper]

Just so I'm clear on this, what exactly is the culture that Bennett is bringing to the club?

Are you being clever? Do you think we would attract Boyd, scott or Smith without him? Like i said some folks are impatient. We would be dead last without him. I think some people do not get how deep the issues are at the club. He has brought belief. You cannot coach ability. Only maximise potential.

 

[Burwood]

Are you being clever? Do you think we would attract Boyd, scott or Smith without him? Like i said some folks are impatient. We would be dead last without him. I think some people do not get how deep the issues are at the club. He has brought belief. You cannot coach ability. Only maximise potential.

This isn't about Bennett's ability to sign players or wanting an overnight fix. I am genuinely interested to hear what supporters of the club feel is the culture that Bennett is trying to bring to Newcastle. Everyone likes to refer to "the culture", but what is it exactly?

Is he trying to create a "winning culture"? Is he setting up the club's systems and structure to help us produce players for the next 20 years? Is he developing a team that "gets on the bus" each week? Is it all the above and more?

I have always believed that Bennett was brought to the club to develop a team that played tough, structured, mistake free football, similar to St George. Yet here we are 18 months later and, even with these aspects in the team's style of footy, we are as inconsistent as ever.

What more does Bennett have to do to get the players to buy into this culture? Why are players who were meant to display this culture and have been signed/resigned by Bennett playing in NSW Cup? What are these issues that are so deeply ingrained in the club, even though we have undergone massive changes in the last 3-4 years?

So many questions!

 

[Yosh]

Winning on the training paddock? Because I haven't seen seen the winning culture on the field

Well, he bought JSmith, who is all about winning. Love that guy.

Last week was a great example. We were down 2 tries (which the opposition scored when we had 2 of the back 3 injured) and we nearly got clawed our way back. The Dragon's game was another good example. I know we lost both games but we were never out of it.

The two games, Manly and Raiders, are exceptions but all teams have off days.

 

[Frederick]

Yosh, lay off the crack man

 

[aqua_duck]

Well, he bought JSmith, who is all about winning. Love that guy.

Last week was a great example. We were down 2 tries (which the opposition scored when we had 2 of the back 3 injured) and we nearly got clawed our way back. The Dragon's game was another good example. I know we lost both games but we were never out of it.

The two games, Manly and Raiders, are exceptions but all teams have off days.

The truth of the matter is the dragons and warriors are bog average teams who we should be beating, honestly the last 18 months nothing much has changed, in fact we've gone backwards, the roster is a lot older, more players have regressed than progressed, Bennett has admitted he was wrong on a few contract extensions and really if Bennett had any KPIs in his contract he probably wouldn't have met any of them

 

[slotmachine]

^ That.

Stone and Brian Smith both got the side into the finals with less resources and inferior squads.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Am I the only one here that is willing to acknowledge that we are a team that are missing a lot of our key players through injury? We had a poor team on paper last season. This year we have a pretty good team however we are missing key players. I find it hard to cry foul of a poor culture when we are currently hAmmered with injuries. When we get to full strength then ill be happy to jump on he bandwagon if we are still playing inconsistent football.