Sack Adam O'Brien

[Llangennech]

What a terrible time to be alive and a fan of NRL when the boss of a rival unrelated(I assume Bulldogs and Knights aren't sworn enemies) club is blasting the club and players for a holiday. The conflict of interest is unbelievable.

Shouldn't that help our players to be more motivated to win or come close to winning matches over the next few weeks?

 

[Angry_eel]

Shouldn't that help our players to be more motivated to win or come close to winning matches over the next few weeks?

You'd hope so

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

I just think this Bali trip reflects on the club. Supporters would like to see that there's a commitment to training over the bye. Stacks to work on.
If they wanted a holiday could have done a camp.

 

[Yosh]

Most of the guys who went away would have booked their as soon as the 2023 season match schedule came out.

Might be a bit too much to ask but as professional players who represent a city, after a 30 point drubbing and many years of under-performance, cancel the trip and train hard for the two weeks and really show up next game?

 

[Mr Angry]

So this guy managed to lose against the bye.

Quite the effort.

 

[perverse]

So this guy managed to lose against the bye.

Quite the effort.

Hard to accuse him of a lack of innovation.

 

[Woody90]

To be fair, seeing the turn around in the Cowboys between last week and today (they’re currently smashing the Roosters), maybe there is some truth in AOBs comment that the game up in Townsville was very physically tough.

Still an absolutely ridiculous decision to let them run off overseas though so I’m not expecting we’ll hit back the way the Cowboys have after a bad loss.

 

[mozza91]

Christ we’re still talking about letting the players go away?

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Let’s wait until we’ve played our next game, proof will be in the pudding then.

 

[Old dog]

My thoughts is if we lose it was a silly idea, if we win it will be, how much better could we have been.
So much more could have been achieved with light training, reviewing situations, fixing problems, sorting out best hooker situation, getting Ponga working with and for team etc etc etc along with a few days off locally in between.

 

[Llangennech]

To be fair, seeing the turn around in the Cowboys between last week and today (they’re currently smashing the Roosters), maybe there is some truth in AOBs comment that the game up in Townsville was very physically tough.

Still an absolutely ridiculous decision to let them run off overseas though so I’m not expecting we’ll hit back the way the Cowboys have after a bad loss.

I disagree. This is the NRL, players need rest during the season. There are exceptions granted, they tend to be the elite of the elite, like C Smith, it's okay when you have got those players around you(only possible if you're not paying the full salaries that some players should be receiving) and you have a big influence on referees and subsequently the flow and momentum of matches. C Smith could have played another match straight after some Melbourne matches.

 

[Woody90]

The holiday issue aside, I think we can probably all agree that the most concerning aspect of AOBs leadership this year was going into the season with Brailey as our only specialist hooker. Yes it’s been highlighted due to his injury, but it was always a greater than average chance of happening. That lack of foresight from the club is alarming and has me questioning competence.

 

[perverse]

The holiday issue aside, I think we can probably all agree that the most concerning aspect of AOBs leadership this year was going into the season with Brailey as our only specialist hooker. Yes it’s been highlighted due to his injury, but it was always a greater than average chance of happening. That lack of foresight from the club is alarming and has me questioning competence.

The club should have had a viable backup option from when he did the first one onwards. My understanding is that the chances of re-injury increase significantly after the first with the nature of injuries he's had. You see it play out all the time with players who have ligament/tendon issues.

Instead we doubled and tripled down signing him to long term contracts and making him a leader of the club. God we're good at this rugby league thing.

We're too nice, plain and simple.

 

[macavity]

They honestly believe Crossland is the cover.

 

[Yosh]

So they either believed Brailey wouldn't get injured again or Crossland was the answer at 9. Either take is delusional at best.

 

[Llangennech]

So they either believed Brailey wouldn't get injured again or Crossland was the answer at 9. Either take is delusional at best.

Crossland is quite fast. He can pass both ways. Isn't Crossland NRL standard?

 

[Woody90]

Crossland is quite fast. He can pass both ways. Isn't Crossland NRL standard?

His physical ability to pass is less the issue but more he can’t read the defence or hit the right player from dummy half. He also makes a lot of errors.

Crossland is fine to come into the side to cover as a backup for halves + hooker if someone gets injured for half a game, but he’s not a first grade starting hooker or half. I don’t think he’d get a run in any other side tbh.

 

[aqua_duck]

Crossland is quite fast. He can pass both ways. Isn't Crossland NRL standard?

I hope that is sarcasm?

 

[aqua_duck]

The club should have had a viable backup option from when he did the first one onwards. My understanding is that the chances of re-injury increase significantly after the first with the nature of injuries he's had. You see it play out all the time with players who have ligament/tendon issues.

Instead we doubled and tripled down signing him to long term contracts and making him a leader of the club. God we're good at this rugby league thing.

We're too nice, plain and simple.

The re-signing was bizarre, he signed a 3 year deal initially, does his ACL like 2 games into his first year, he recovers and looks Ok without being a world beater 3 or 4 games into his second year and they decide they absolutely need to extend him again. How many players sign a new multiple year contract, do their ACL almost immediately and then get a contract extension that quickly?

 

[Jono078]

The re-signing was bizarre, he signed a 3 year deal initially, does his ACL like 2 games into his first year, he recovers and looks Ok without being a world beater 3 or 4 games into his second year and they decide they absolutely need to extend him again. How many players sign a new multiple year contract, do their ACL almost immediately and then get a contract extension that quickly?

Are you surprised? We're giving reserve graders the option to extend their contract should they see fit to grace our club (and NSW cup team) with their presence for a additional year.