Sack Adam O'Brien

[slotmachine]

Hastings breaking down physically and now also looking like the disruptive force he's been at every other club certainly isn't ideal. He was absolute trash yesterday.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

I know this thread is about O'Brien but I was thinking yesterday how much Pearce leaving set us back. With him and Ponga we made the 8 twice and the rest of the team/coaching wasn't even that good.

Even a Fogarty/Trindall level half would do wonders for this current team.

Not playing behind powder puffs they wouldn't.

I cannot imagine any members of opposing packs shitting bricks thinking about playing the Knights.

 

[Rod]

Not playing behind powder puffs they wouldn't.

I cannot imagine any members of opposing packs shitting bricks thinking about playing the Knights.

That's the other big issue which we highlighted before the season. Every other team seems to have 1 or 2 guys who's only role is basically to just be big (think Paseka from the Eagles). Our closest to that is probably Hetherington?

And this isn't really about the Safs either (although it doesn't help there's 2 of them). Even if those 2 were in Origin form it's not really the kind of player I'm talking about.

A half with simple organization skills who can kick like the ones I mentioned would go a long way though. It's ridiculous that before he got injured Ponga was starting to take on the long kicking responsibilities too, on top of everything else.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

That's the other big issue which we highlighted before the season. Every other team seems to have 1 or 2 guys who's only role is basically to just be big (think Paseka from the Eagles). Our closest to that is probably Hetherington?

Leo is our pack future, that mobile islander physique. Both Safs are not.

A half with simple organization skills who can kick like the ones I mentioned would go a long way though. It's ridiculous that before he got injured Ponga was starting to take on the long kicking responsibilities too, on top of everything else.

We never seem to recruit very well. The Dolphins snared a future star in Katoa. The Knights never seem to be in the picture for this type of recruitment, and always seem to go with some average stop-gap measure.

 

[macavity]

Leo is our pack future, that mobile islander physique. Both Safs are not.


We never seem to recruit very well. The Dolphins snared a future star in Katoa. The Knights never seem to be in the picture for this type of recruitment, and always seem to go with some average stop-gap measure.

I mean Ponga was a pretty good bit of business.

and it should have given us our strategy - be the family club. Country kids, family focussed kids, we are the club that is located in an amazing place to raise a family and live, and we will look after the whole family. It’s pretty much our only “in” for kids.

Another year where following this mob is just painful.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

I mean Ponga was a pretty good bit of business.

and it should have given us our strategy - be the family club. Country kids, family focussed kids, we are the club that is located in an amazing place to raise a family and live, and we will look after the whole family. It’s pretty much our only “in” for kids.

Another year where following this mob is just painful.

yeh Ponga is a great example.

1 Million in cap - bring in young talent on a pie and coke, and recruit blue chip winners for them to play alongside and learn from.

1 Million in cap - we go for 2 bog average players like Hetherington and Elliot - players we will never win a Premiership with.

It's a weird way to spend the cap.

Gus Gould is working his magic at the Doggies the juniors he's recruited for their pathways there is working throughout the grades, and first grade will come along with some patience - a mix of blue chip players and a stack utility off-cuts at the moment to balance the cap but the future will be good for them.

 

[macavity]

yeh Ponga is a great example.

1 Million in cap - bring in young talent on a pie and coke, and recruit blue chip winners for them to play alongside and learn from.

1 Million in cap - we go for 2 bog average players like Hetherington and Elliot - players we will never win a Premiership with.

It's a weird way to spend the cap.

Gus Gould is working his magic at the Doggies the juniors he's recruited for their pathways there is working throughout the grades, and first grade will come along with some patience - a mix of blue chip players and a stack utility off-cuts at the moment to balance the cap but the future will be good for them.

you know the Dogs were gifted two of our catchment areas (mid north coast and upper hunter) by the NRL right?

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

you know the Dogs were gifted two of our catchment areas (mid north coast and upper hunter) by the NRL right?

no I didnt know that. Is that since Gould come into the Doggies scene? Bet a bottom dollar he pushed for it.

We obviously haven't been doing much with those catchment areas? The doggies are though - and in quick time mind you.

 

[macavity]

no I didnt know that. Is that since Gould come into the Doggies scene? Bet a bottom dollar he pushed for it.

We obviously haven't been doing much with those catchment areas? The doggies are though - and in quick time mind you.

it was while the NRL was running us. They invested nothing and let (encouraged even) the Roosters and Dogs steal our catchments.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

it was while the NRL was running us. They invested nothing and let (encouraged even) the Roosters and Dogs steal our catchments

Wests have had the Knights for 10 years and in that decade what local star do we have in first grade? Best? in 10 years ? all we can muster is Bradman Best ( 12 yr old when Wests took ownership )

Where's our Harry Grant, Ezra Mam, Kaylan Ponga?

Look what Gould has done in 3 yrs at the Dogs. Given time they will be Penrith Mk 2, meanwhile we will still be a rabble of mismanagement.

Edit - I dont consider Safs a star. They are a tier below blue chip even at the best of times.

 

[Apey]

I know this thread is about O'Brien but I was thinking yesterday how much Pearce leaving set us back. With him and Ponga we made the 8 twice and the rest of the team/coaching wasn't even that good.

Even a Fogarty/Trindall level half would do wonders for this current team.

Fogarty has been great for the Raiders. He'd be in the top 4 halfbacks this year, ours (and our backup) are bottom 4.

 

[Apey]

A half with simple organization skills who can kick like the ones I mentioned would go a long way though. It's ridiculous that before he got injured Ponga was starting to take on the long kicking responsibilities too, on top of everything else.

I'm not sure there is anything that Ponga doesn't do better than our two halves which is sad. Hastings has a decent cross field kick if we're ever in the opposition 20. He doesn't mouth off and niggle as well as them, I guess.

 

[slotmachine]

it was while the NRL was running us. They invested nothing and let (encouraged even) the Roosters and Dogs steal our catchments.

That's a fairly long bow to draw, after Tinkler went toes up what obligation did the NRL have to lavishly fund this basket case of a club? We should be thankful they gave us anything at all.

If anything your displeasure should lay with the members club for letting the NRL take over instead of them taking back the club.

 

[Yosh]

I reckon the past few years has been good in terms of recruitment. All the English lads were good buys. Leo has been class. Couldn't have known Brailey would break down all the time.

I think the next big recruitment focus needs to be head coach. AOB needs to go.

 

[macavity]

That's a fairly long bow to draw, after Tinkler went toes up what obligation did the NRL have to lavishly fund this basket case of a club? We should be thankful they gave us anything at all.

If anything your displeasure should lay with the members club for letting the NRL take over instead of them taking back the club.

they had an obligation to keep the club in a competitive shape. They did the exact opposite, cruelling us to advantage others.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

they had an obligation to keep the club in a competitive shape. They did the exact opposite, cruelling us to advantage others.

the NRL has an obligation to the game. To grow it and strengthen the market. After decades of obvious neglect they gave catchment areas to an establishment that would do something with it.

In a decade the Wests Group appear to have done the same as the Knights have always done - nothing.

Bradman Best and a couple of average props are the best we've done to pathways in a decade? The Knights deserve to lose more areas and will do if they dont utilize what they have.

 

[slotmachine]

There's no divine right to a NRL team in Newcastle, we're lucky the NRL didn't give the licence to the Dolphins or Perth really, especially after the members club completely rolled over.

 

[macavity]

There's no divine right to a NRL team in Newcastle, we're lucky the NRL didn't give the licence to the Dolphins or Perth really, especially after the members club completely rolled over.

members club didn’t roll over, we just had no money.

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

I reckon the past few years has been good in terms of recruitment. All the English lads were good buys. Leo has been class. Couldn't have known Brailey would break down all the time.

I think the next big recruitment focus needs to be head coach. AOB needs to go.

Leo and (so far) a promising second rower from England doesnt equate to great recruitment and retention over the last few years.

Where's our other juniors ? Crocker and Lucas?

 

[Dr Dr Gimedanews]

I've mentioned about getting 3rd parties to compete with clubs like the Rorters, so we dont lose the next Dom Young - it's been said we are a small club and cannot compete with big Sydney clubs and the likes of the Broncos.

Then the obvious answer is junior development, home grown kids, ala Panthers.

Well where the hell are they?

https://www.nswrl.com.au/ladder/?competition=113