Sack Adam O'Brien

[Sir Galahad]

I don’t get why we expect AOB to perform to those standards with a team nowhere near those teams, with a bunch of injuries on top of that?

you previosly compared his situation to the Roosters.

The cognitive dissonance is astounding

 

[Haffa]

We are nothing like the Roosters - agreed. Storm, Panthers, Eels. Nowhere close to them.

I don’t get why we expect AOB to perform to those standards with a team nowhere near those teams, with a bunch of injuries on top of that?

You guys can deflect all you want, but we obviously see him as a long-term coach, and have no interest in paying him out. He’s here for a while yet.

I didn't compare us to the roosters, you did.

I'd like to see some level of improvement. Even some acknowledgement of the lack of effort would be nice.

Who is deflecting? It's a forum for discussion...I do not believe he will get us another finals place again. He's clueless. Wests may stick with him but we don't have to agree with that decision.

 

[Haffa]

ItS nOt ThE pLaYeRs MiSsInG tAcKlEs

Tip Top's the one good on you, mum

 

[Alex28]

And that doesn't concern you?

I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt at this point. I don’t see anyone better who will come here that’s going to revolutionise the club.

 

[Alex28]

I didn't compare us to the roosters, you did.

Did I? Someone asked who has survived such a drop in form, I answered the question.

 

[Johns Magic]

I don’t get why we expect AOB to perform to those standards with a team nowhere near those teams?

What’s been your view of our roster direction under AOB?

 

[macavity]

What’s been your view of our roster direction under AOB?

some good signings for next year if we get the English blokes too.

still two halves away from being relevant.

 

[Alex28]

What’s been your view of our roster direction under AOB?

This years squad is not as good as last years - losing Pearce is underrated in leadership of the team, and losing Brailey has been huge.

The leadership within the club has been pretty poor to be honest. The Ponga situation doesn’t happen at the big clubs, and that’s on Phil and not AOB.

The job of running Wests as well as the Knights is way too big for one CEO. I can’t help but think if we had a dedicated CEO to the Knights, we’d make some smarter decisions.

 

[Alex28]

you previosly compared his situation to the Roosters.

The cognitive dissonance is astounding

Somebody has read a few business motivation books too many.

I’m comparing the situation of a guy who finished 7th last year and coming 12th now - a situation someone asked “who has survived anything like this” - to someone who actually survived much worse than this, developed the team and then won two premierships.

You keep raising effort. In what order to you rate effort, talent and leadership?

 

[Johns Magic]

some good signings for next year if we get the English blokes too.

still two halves away from being relevant.

I agree the English signings look good. We have gone outside the box there.

I am however concerned that we can’t seem to recruit anyone from within the NRL unless they have other ties to the club or region (Gagai, Elliott, Hetherington).

We keep missing on talented young guys we apparently thought were in the bag (Staggs, Luki, Farnworth), and the culture-specific older guys like Finucane, who we were keen on and apparently AOB has a great relationship with, don’t even look at us.

I get the feeling NRL players don’t want to play for AOB, or his version of the Knights.

At least when Brown was here there was excitement on the roster front, and that was because he was clearly an attractive personality who sold the dream of the town and the team to potential recruits.

I feel AOB has undone that. We are now adapting to that by going after young English talent who just know that the Knights is Andrew Johns and Kalyn Ponga’s club, and then trying to get them to break contract early and pay transfer fees. Plus a few NRL signings who have other reasons to be here and a lack of suitors.

I hope like hell it works. That will also require him to start getting more ruthless when it comes to retention of current players - another roster-building weakness thus far.

But the reason I bring this up to tie it all back in @Alex28 , is I don’t think asking what we can expect AOB to do with this roster is a fair way to judge. If we knew we were getting a better roster in the next few years then yeah maybe. But I think he is part of the roster issue, and it’s been going the wrong direction.

Brown coming here was a breath of fresh air for the roster. There was always seemed a plan and he was pulling some rabbits out of the hat when on performance no players should have looked at us. Maybe a new coach gets a different roster than AOB.

 

[Haffa]

Did I? Someone asked who has survived such a drop in form, I answered the question.

sigh...

 

[Alex28]

I agree the English signings look good. We have gone outside the box there.

I am however concerned that we can’t seem to recruit anyone from within the NRL unless they have other ties to the club or region (Gagai, Elliott, Hetherington).

We keep missing on talented young guys we apparently thought were in the bag (Staggs, Luki, Farnworth), and the culture-specific older guys like Finucane, who we were keen on and apparently AOB has a great relationship with, don’t even look at us.

I get the feeling NRL players don’t want to play for AOB, or his version of the Knights.

At least when Brown was here there was excitement on the roster front, and that was because he was clearly an attractive personality who sold the dream of the town and the team to potential recruits.

I feel AOB has undone that. We are now adapting to that by going after young English talent who just know that the Knights is Andrew Johns and Kalyn Ponga’s club, and then trying to get them to break contract early and pay transfer fees. Plus a few NRL signings who have other reasons to be here and a lack of suitors.

I hope like hell it works. That will also require him to start getting more ruthless when it comes to retention of current players - another roster-building weakness thus far.

But the reason I bring this up to tie it all back in @Alex28 , is I don’t think asking what we can expect AOB to do with this roster is a fair way to judge. If we knew we were getting a better roster in the next few years then yeah maybe. But I think he is part of the roster issue, and it’s been going the wrong direction.

Brown coming here was a breath of fresh air for the roster. There was always seemed a plan and he was pulling some rabbits out of the hat when on performance no players should have looked at us. Maybe a new coach gets a different roster than AOB.

I think some of that is fair, and if players were leaving because they don’t want to play under him was a regular occurrence i’d want him gone too.

There are too many quality players - and humans - there that seem to like him. Guys like Klemmer and Friz don’t suffer fools, and they are all in on him. How do we get a guy like Gagai to come back if people don’t want to play under him? Sure, has ties to the region but was a game away from a premiership last year and could have stayed.

I think AOB is part of a bigger problem. On and off field leadership isn’t good enough. Wests are far too hands on with their investment and where the money is spent - there needs to be some level of independence and separation. Phil Gardner has made some poor decisions over the last few years, and you can argue some inexperience, but also is he spread too thin? Ponga isn’t an on-field leader, and it is showing in our performances.

 

[Alex28]

sigh...

It’s literally what happened mate. Sigh all you want.

 

[Haffa]

It’s literally what happened mate. Sigh all you want.

sigh

 

[Yosh]

The only mistake Wests are making is not firing AOB. How can anyone stand up for AOB anymore? The teams f%*king s£#t. He needs to go. We need someone who can improve us not find excuses.

 

[macavity]

I think some of that is fair, and if players were leaving because they don’t want to play under him was a regular occurrence i’d want him gone too.

There are too many quality players - and humans - there that seem to like him. Guys like Klemmer and Friz don’t suffer fools, and they are all in on him. How do we get a guy like Gagai to come back if people don’t want to play under him? Sure, has ties to the region but was a game away from a premiership last year and could have stayed.

I think AOB is part of a bigger problem. On and off field leadership isn’t good enough. Wests are far too hands on with their investment and where the money is spent - there needs to be some level of independence and separation. Phil Gardner has made some poor decisions over the last few years, and you can argue some inexperience, but also is he spread too thin? Ponga isn’t an on-field leader, and it is showing in our performances.

Gardner is there three more years then retiring. So we have to wait 3 years to find out.

 

[macavity]

And FWIW I don’t know firing the coach puts us in a better position.

not sure he is the bloke to get us top 4 either though. And that’s mainly because I’m not sure we as a club have that in us, save another crop of generational talents coming through like in the mid 90s.

 

[Sir Galahad]

You keep raising effort. In what order to you rate effort, talent and leadership?

1) Leadership 2) Effort 3) Talent

Without 1 & 2 talent just sits in the driveway with no one to drive it and no gas in the tank.

* never read a self or business motivation book in my life.

 

[Sir Galahad]

if players were leaving because they don’t want to play under him was a regular occurrence i’d want him gone too.

Barnett, King and Watson say hi , all have moved on and quoted as saying with words to the affect - they want to get the best out of themselves. All of them didnt sound as if they thought we were going in a better direction than where they are headed.

Guys like Klemmer and Friz don’t suffer fools

could be premature ejaculating here, let's see if Friz takes up his option and if Klemmer moves on in 12 months

How do we get a guy like Gagai to come back if people don’t want to play under him?

Money, glorious fun tickets - and family that lives in town "happy wife happy life " - D Gagai Fox Sports interview with Beji Marshal

I think AOB is part of a bigger problem

The cognitive dissonance from you is a gift that keeps on giving.

Phil Gardner has made some poor decisions over the last few years, and you can argue some inexperience

agreed

Ponga isn’t an on-field leader, and it is showing in our performances.

more common ground here

 

[perverse]

Well said Sir Galahad, and I'd just add that Klem and Friz are pretty damn happy on their Rolls Royce paycheques too.