Smith Says McDonnell Giving Him Food for Thought

[antonius]

Shannon McDonnell gives Smith food for thought


BY ROBERT DILLON
13/07/2009 4:00:00 AM
SHANNON McDonnell's classy display against Canberra on Saturday has left Knights coach Brian Smith pondering his backline options for Newcastle's next game, against Manly on Friday week.

Smith admitted that the possibility of switching Newcastle and NSW Origin skipper Kurt Gidley from fullback to the halves would be considered if playmaker Jarrod Mullen was sidelined for a long period with an ankle injury.

In Gidley's absence, McDonnell produced a five-star performance against the Raiders, making 200 metres in attack, a line break and seven important tackles.

Signed mid-season from Wests Tigers, McDonnell has now played four games for Newcastle and given himself a genuine chance of ongoing selection, either as fullback or on the wing.

"Kurt's versatility will definitely come into the equation," Smith said.

"At this point, I'd still be thinking Kurt will still be our fullback, but it's nice to know that, with Mullo missing for a bit, we've got options around half, five-eighth, or whatever the need is.

"As well as that, Shannon has played fullback and wing for us now, so that puts him in the mix as a utility player as well."

Smith said shifting Gidley from fullback to the halves "won't be our initial move", but he has not discarded the idea.

McDonnell, 21, has made a big impression on Smith during his two months in Newcastle.

"He's a talented player, Shannon, and he's been looking for a chance," Smith said.

"You've got to credit someone who's done what he's done to leave his home club to give himself a shot, knowing he's only going to be here for part of a season, almost certainly.

"And then he's got to sit and wait and do all the training without knowing if he's going to play week by week. Those sort of guys deserve something good to happen to them."

McDonnell was happy with his form against Canberra but realistic about his place in the pecking order.

"Obviously Kurt's the No.1 fullback, and there's no doubting that because he's the NSW fullback," McDonnell said.

"I knew in coming here that Kurt was No.1 and I wouldn't be filthy at all if I had to make way for him.

"Obviously it would be disappointing because I want to play first grade but in saying that I've come to a club where the NSW fullback plays, and I just have to take my chances when they come."


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http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/shannon-mcdonnell-gives-smith-food-for-thought/1565578.aspx

 

[Karmawave]

Geez Serc... :sarcasm:

Someone's been reading our discussion man.

 

[Serc]

You should change your name to Karmadamus...though it still has to happen yet

 

[Karmawave]

I don't think it will mate, but it wouldn't surprise me either if it does.

 

[Liam]

1. McDonnell
6. Rogers
7. Gidley

f**kING LOL.

 

[Jono078]

Nothing to think about here Smithy..

While McDonnell's done a good job in his games for us, we can spend money elsewhere for next year.

 

[antonius]

Nothing to think about here Smithy..

While McDonnell's done a good job in his games for us, we can spend money elsewhere for next year.

He's only talking about playing him fullback while Mullos' injured, so Kids can play in the halves, not permanantly.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

I would not mind seeing Gidley in the halves at all for a short period. What he would offer in defence would be amazing. Having a defensive line that consists of gidley and hilder would be very hard to get through.

 

[perverse]

after all this time (and raving and ranting that gidley isn't a half)... i don't mind if we take this option to at least test the water. gidley, and the team, are a completely different unit these days, and it's worth seeing what we've got in this regard.

if rogers did turn a corner like he seemed to on saturday night, then he would be a good halfback experiment too, inside mullo. (flame away!). he controlled everything very well, which is scottys biggest asset in my opinion... and he had a glorious second half with the boot.

 

[roopy]

It's good that Smith has worked out a viable plan A and a viable plan B - and that we have two weeks to run through the drills before our next game.

I actually think Smith could use both.

He doesn't seem to think Dureau has 80 minutes in him, and weeks of injury and not playing won't have made that any better - so i can see McDonnell on the bench to give Gidley time in the halves and maybe even hooker.

 

[Newie is God's Country]

Read that as Gidley to halfback. Dureau's grade career at Newcastle looks very on edge indeed. With Kids, Rogers and Waltzing roaming the ruck in defence we will be very difficult to beat up the middle. Hope the attack stays fluid with Rogers doing the first receiver work mainly. One has to believe that Benny is a confidence player who plays rubbish when shackled in someone's shadow. When the chips are down the guy is amazing. Mullo being absent could be the making of Benny Rogers.

 

[Pika]

Scott was pulled from the Macquarie game on the weekend as an injury precaution.

Trained at halfback today.

Gids was not there of course.

Your guess is as good as mine how the halves will line up.

 

[Karmawave]

Dureau will play halfback surely.

 

[antonius]

Kurt Gidley looms as ace up Brian Smith's sleeve


BY ROBERT DILLON
15/07/2009 4:00:00 AM
IT is the wildcard Brian Smith has patiently kept up his sleeve.

The big question will be whether he plays it at some point between now and season's end.

With Jarrod Mullen sidelined for four to six weeks after tearing ankle ligaments, Smith has lost his primary playmaker for the make-of-break stage of Newcastle's campaign.

The logical replacement for Mullen is Scott Dureau, who is fit to return from a groin injury and has already played 28 top-grade games for Newcastle, including nine times this season.

Dureau at half and in-form Ben Rogers outside him at five-eighth would provide Smith with a crafty, underrated pair of on-field generals who have spent the best part of 12 months training alongside each other and have already teamed up four times this season in the starting line-up.

Smith knows that Dureau and Rogers can steer his team around until Mullen is ready to resume.

He has full confidence in both.

But in the back of his mind the veteran coach has another option at his disposal that could potentially give his team a whole new dimension in the big games ahead switching skipper Kurt Gidley from fullback to the halves.

It would be a bold move.

Gidley is the NSW custodian and captain and has established himself as one of the game's elite players since moving to fullback on a full-time basis in 2007.

After spending the early years of his career as a backline nomad, Gidley has made himself at home in the No.1 jersey.

The 27-year-old is the ultimate team player, but he would be reluctant to relinquish his preferred position.

For the time being, at least, that appears unlikely to happen.

"At this point in time, we don't have to pick a team until next Tuesday, but Kurt will be at fullback to play against Manly [on Friday week], Dureau will be at halfback and Rogers will be at six," Smith said yesterday.

"If that is working for us, there might be no need to change."
But the coach admits Gidley's versatility is a recurring temptation.



"I think he started a game for us last year in the halves, but it was just a cameo," Smith said.

"But I can't help myself. I'm just a bit inquisitive to see what he could bring to our team in that role."

Gidley filled in at halfback in the round-six win against the Roosters last season and performed so efficiently that NSW Origin coach Craig Bellamy had pencilled him in as the Blues' No.7 for the series opener, only to change those plans when Gidley suffered a broken cheekbone.

Whereas Wes Naiqama deputised at times last season as a makeshift fullback, this year the Knights have a ready-made replacement in Shannon McDonnell, the 21-year-old recruited from Wests Tigers two months ago.

McDonnell has now played four games for Newcastle, and his classy display in Saturday night's win against Canberra left Smith with a dilemma, albeit one he has welcomed.

As things stand, McDonnell is expected to surrender his spot to Gidley and is unlikely to get a start on the wing ahead of James McManus, Akuila Uate and Keith Lulia.



But switching Gidley to the halves would allow Smith to retain McDonnell in the team.

Whether moving their best player would strengthen Newcastle's line-up is a moot point.

McDonnell has pace to burn, is a threat around the rucks and has shown safe hands under the high ball.

Gidley is often at his most effective running from dummy-half or first receiver, probing for weaknesses, which he could do playing halfback.

And defensively he would bolster Newcastle's front line and kick-chase.

In previous seasons, he regularly made more than 30 tackles a game.

Gidley and Rogers are probably more robust defenders than Dureau, but what the latter offers is an invaluable kicking game, as shown by his three 40-20 touch-finders this year.

Having rotated his three halves all season, Smith now has a Plan B and Plan C to contemplate while Mullen is sidelined.

Most importantly, he is confident all bases are covered.



"All that stuff is conjecture at this stage, because it might not happen," Smith said.

"But if Mullo is out for an extended period, it's nice to know we've got some options."



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http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...ms-as-ace-up-brian-smiths-sleeve/1567880.aspx

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Hopefully he picks a combination and sticks with it even if we get belted against Manly.

Chopping and changing is a sign of a team in dire straights.

 

[NS_Sherlock]

I'm glad Smith is still considering Plan A at times like this. It shows that plan is always in the back of his head as it is with mine. I think Gidley would now be a far different player at 6 or 7 than he was when it was first tried. A lot of his errors/poor decisions in those positions seemed to be due to indecision when he had a fixed role and that conflicted with just doing his "thing". I think he is way past that now with the responsibility he has had.

For the game against Manly, McDonnell might be good off the bench. He could come on at wing if there are any woeful backline performances or any are injured and at fullback if the same happens with 6,7,9, 13 with Gidley moving up. That would leave Wes out so it's a toss-up between the two.

Add: Smith might even bench Dureau given he is coming back from injury.

 

[Serc]

Considering his rib cartilage injury, you'd think moving Kurt to the halves would not be an option as he'd have to do more tackling, though at the same time he can be more targeted at the back i guess - anyone more expert than me care to share their wisdom?