The Knights last 4 weeks.

[macavity]

Sorry that sh*t isnt going to wash with me, perhaps fly yourself up to the north to see the state of jobs, real estate and life up there.
You continue to act like Newcastle's issues are only faced by that region alone and sorry, they are not.

You're entitled to your opinion but don't belittle people for thinking differently.

Was up there not too long ago.

Not sure how what I said was in any way controversial. I don't bag people for "thinking differently", but I think they deserve to be bagged if they want to hold their ignorant opinion out as fact - like "LOL BAD MANAGEMENT".

Each club has its own circumstances.

Your club is lucky to have a future immortal playing for them (surrounded by a very good team) at the time when the market is changing. Qlders are also ridiculously parochial.

By the sounds of it the Cowbs have leveraged that into some pretty solid support networks which will see them through JT's retirement. Hope so for your sake.

My club was lucky to have an immortal playing for us (surrounded by a very good team) during the SL war. It papered over a lot of "structural" issues with the Knights for a very long time.

Tinkler was our chance to fix those problems, and he was a fraud. Those structural issues remain, and they have become even more of a disadvantage as player payments have been massively inflated by cap-exempt payments. Those structural issues (summarised by the ignorant as "LOL BAD MANAGEMENT") are separate from, but related to, the TPA issue.

Our internal structural issues, and the Tinkler circus, have put us in the hole. The external structural issues mean it is near impossible for us to climb out WITHOUT AN EXTERNAL CHANGE.

In other words, as much as I understand Brown's "young blood" approach is the only realistic strategy available to us, there is no strategy available to us that is likely to give us sustained competitiveness, let alone success - WITHOUT AN EXTERNAL CHANGE.

Newcastle is also nowhere near as parochial is as made out in the media. Probably half or more of the NRL fans in Newcastle support someone else, as the Knights are not (and probably never will be again) "cool" to support - kids love winners. Very hard to create new fans when you are getting lapped every week, and when the only way we can remain viable is punters through the gates, buying merchandise, etc.... we really do seem to be in the early stages of a death spiral.

I really need to stop with the essays, they are wasted effort...

 

[Caped Crusader]

Newcastle play in a National comp, covering the 3 biggest cities in Australia

Why are they limited to looking locally for TPAs exactly?

 

[macavity]

Newcastle play in a National comp, covering the 3 biggest cities in Australia

Why are they limited to looking locally for TPAs exactly?

Why do people offer TPAs to a club's players? Because they support the club.

We are limited to looking for TPAs from Knights supporters.

As has been previously covered, the Knights supporter sponsorship (or, TPA) market is effectively tapped out - anyone with money to throw at the club is already doing so.

Do you even read?

 

[Caped Crusader]

Bullshit

Cameron Smith has TPA sponsors here in Qld. As do several other players from out of state

I can read mate, doesnt mean i have to believe ir agree with you

There is no reason why sponsorship deals have to come from "Knights supporters" at all. None.

 

[Frederick]

Bullshit

Cameron Smith has TPA sponsors here in Qld. As do several other players from out of state

I can read mate, doesnt mean i have to believe ir agree with you

There is no reason why sponsorship deals have to come from "Knights supporters" at all. None.

I'm guessing the other players from out of QLD with TPA agreements up there play for the maroons as well?

Who exactly do the knights have on their roster who has a profile that even comes close to that of the QLD maroon players who have dominated SOO for the last decade? None. Absolutely none

 

[macavity]

There is no reason why sponsorship deals have to come from "Knights supporters" at all. None.

If we have a player with the profile to be of promotional benefit to a national company - sure.

Who exactly is that on our roster?

And as far as recruitment/retention goes, that sort of TPA isn't going to swing anyone our way - and the "decision impacting" TPAs are the issue.

Might not be the reading thats the problem, might be the thinking.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Right, insult soneones intelligence when they dont agree with you. Well done

Sure profile plays a part, ill give you that. However it still doesnt mean the Knights cant find player deals outside of the Hunter. There are precedents set

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

Macavity, the so called structural problems the Knights face are no different to what the Raiders face. Hell, we probably have it tougher. Smaller, transient population dominated by the public service. Shitter for a long period of time. A significant portion of locals supporting interstate teams. Having to contend with the Brumbies and AFL. Less FTA exposure.

Yet through all that, we've finally been able to attract high quality players in recent times - and it's not down to a change in external forces. We did it because we finally have a coach with a bit of management/organisational nous, plus a drive and determination to succeed. A guy who cut a lot of the fat from a bloated, under performing squad and changed the dickhead culture which had permeated the playing group.

Whereas before we'd almost laugh at the prospect of signing quality players in key positions like Blake Austin or Aidan Sezer from bigger cities, today we face that those kinds of prospects with a vastly larger degree of optimism and hope.

That hasn't quite trickled down to the on-field performances as yet and equated to success, but he's certainly put us in the right position to do so, regardless of whether or not he's the one to lead us there.

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

Macavity, the so called structural problems the Knights face are no different to what the Raiders face. Hell, we probably have it tougher. Smaller, transient population dominated by the public service. Shitter for a long period of time. A significant portion of locals supporting interstate teams. Having to contend with the Brumbies and AFL. Less FTA exposure.

Yet through all that, we've finally been able to attract high quality players in recent times (and keep them together for an extend period of time) - this hasn't come about due to a change in external forces. We did it because we finally have a coach with a bit of management/organisational nous, plus a drive and determination to succeed. A guy who cut a lot of the fat from a bloated, under performing squad and changed the dickhead culture which had permeated the playing group.

Whereas before we'd almost laugh at the prospect of signing quality players in key positions like Blake Austin or Aidan Sezer from bigger cities, today we face that those kinds of prospects with a vastly larger degree of optimism and hope.

That hasn't quite trickled down to the on-field performances as yet and equated to success, but he's certainly put us in the right position to do so, regardless of whether or not he's the one to lead us there.

 

[Shorty]

Was up there not too long ago.

Not sure how what I said was in any way controversial. I don't bag people for "thinking differently", but I think they deserve to be bagged if they want to hold their ignorant opinion out as fact - like "LOL BAD MANAGEMENT".

Each club has its own circumstances.

Your club is lucky to have a future immortal playing for them (surrounded by a very good team) at the time when the market is changing. Qlders are also ridiculously parochial.

By the sounds of it the Cowbs have leveraged that into some pretty solid support networks which will see them through JT's retirement. Hope so for your sake.

My club was lucky to have an immortal playing for us (surrounded by a very good team) during the SL war. It papered over a lot of "structural" issues with the Knights for a very long time.

Tinkler was our chance to fix those problems, and he was a fraud. Those structural issues remain, and they have become even more of a disadvantage as player payments have been massively inflated by cap-exempt payments. Those structural issues (summarised by the ignorant as "LOL BAD MANAGEMENT") are separate from, but related to, the TPA issue.

Our internal structural issues, and the Tinkler circus, have put us in the hole. The external structural issues mean it is near impossible for us to climb out WITHOUT AN EXTERNAL CHANGE.

In other words, as much as I understand Brown's "young blood" approach is the only realistic strategy available to us, there is no strategy available to us that is likely to give us sustained competitiveness, let alone success - WITHOUT AN EXTERNAL CHANGE.

Newcastle is also nowhere near as parochial is as made out in the media. Probably half or more of the NRL fans in Newcastle support someone else, as the Knights are not (and probably never will be again) "cool" to support - kids love winners. Very hard to create new fans when you are getting lapped every week, and when the only way we can remain viable is punters through the gates, buying merchandise, etc.... we really do seem to be in the early stages of a death spiral.

I really need to stop with the essays, they are wasted effort...

I get what you are saying i just think its a tough patch and also myriad of factors that has contributed to the current bad patch.

And its not like Newcastle are the only club getting flogged, granted its pretty bad but floggings seem to be common this year.
Wests, Titans, Souths and Dragons have all had their butts kicked.

How are the Jets doing? Are they in as much trouble as the Knights?

 

[Edwahu]

The Raiders have recruited ok and got some value but we still have only one Origin player and there is a whole level of players that we could not recruit under any circumstances.

 

[macavity]

No coincidence that the raiders are doing well on the recruitment front now a guy who learned his trade at the Roosters (and Eels) is pulling the strings.

 

[Perth Red]

Why do people offer TPAs to a club's players? Because they support the club.

We are limited to looking for TPAs from Knights supporters.

As has been previously covered, the Knights supporter sponsorship (or, TPA) market is effectively tapped out - anyone with money to throw at the club is already doing so.

Do you even read?

Well then Knights need to maximise their other revenue areas, though I call bs on the idea that every corporate willing to support Knights is tied up in sponsorship, there's only so many shirt, short etc places a company can buy. If it is the case then you have to question if the corporate appeal/reach of Knights is enough to sustain them as a viable NRL team. Knights strength is in its fanbase, that is where your golden egg is, sort your membership income out for starters!

 

[Knight76]

No coincidence that the raiders are doing well on the recruitment front now a guy who learned his trade at the Roosters (and Eels) is pulling the strings.

Hopefully the knights can get that same benefit.

 

[macavity]

Right, insult soneones intelligence when they dont agree with you. Well done

Sure profile plays a part, ill give you that. However it still doesnt mean the Knights cant find player deals outside of the Hunter. There are precedents set

If you don't want your intelligence insulted, don't say stupid shit.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Right, again with personal attacks. A sure sign that you have run out of any decent arguments

If all hope is lost then what is the point of the Knights then? Let's just fold them up and move the club somewhere else

This stupid "they're out to keep us down" mentality is one of the biggest attributers to the clubs current woes. Throw your hands in the air when things get tough and the old ways stop working. Bloody defeatist mentality at its worst

 

[macavity]

Right, again with personal attacks. A sure sign that you have run out of any decent arguments

If all hope is lost then what is the point of the Knights then? Let's just fold them up and move the club somewhere else

This stupid "they're out to keep us down" mentality is one of the biggest attributers to the clubs current woes. Throw your hands in the air when things get tough and the old ways stop working. Bloody defeatist mentality at its worst

You obviously haven't understood a word I have written. Go back to the start, take notes.

You confuse me explaining how things are with being defeatist. And then you come out with stupid ideas on what "they should do". If you have the answers and it is all so easy, email the club and ask for a meeting with Matt Gidley. He will meet with you.

Make no mistake, we are treading water at the bottom of the table until something external changes - that is not being "defeatist" it is realism.

 

[macavity]

Well then Knights need to maximise their other revenue areas, though I call bs on the idea that every corporate willing to support Knights is tied up in sponsorship, there's only so many shirt, short etc places a company can buy. If it is the case then you have to question if the corporate appeal/reach of Knights is enough to sustain them as a viable NRL team. Knights strength is in its fanbase, that is where your golden egg is, sort your membership income out for starters!

Honestly wouldn't surprise me if, after our 3rd or 4th spoon in a row, the NRL are indeed questioning our viability.

Fans need hope. It's in pretty short supply at present.

 

[Perth Red]

They looked better this week, there's some hope. They signed Hodkinson, theres some more hope. Sharks used to be as bad and now arent, theres some more hope. Cowboys operate in a smaller market without a decent stadium and have won the comp, theres something to hold onto. Knights have one of the biggest supporter bases in the comp, plenty of hope there.

Could be worse, your only hope of having a club could be in waiting for the current 16 to all be viable lol

 

[Noname36]

They looked better this week, there's some hope. They signed Hodkinson, theres some more hope. Sharks used to be as bad and now arent, theres some more hope. Cowboys operate in a smaller market without a decent stadium and have won the comp, theres something to hold onto. Knights have one of the biggest supporter bases in the comp, plenty of hope there.

Could be worse, your only hope of having a club could be in waiting for the current 16 to all be viable lol

If Hodkinson is our big white hope then that is really depressing.

I was happy when we signed him - simply because we'd have an established half in the side for when Mullen was inevitably out for 80% of the season - however he's been found out big time.

We've scored 2 tries since Mullen went down, and they were both against the f**king Tigers. If anything Lamb (who is 19 and a lot of weight off being really FG ready) has shown more creativity.

I am giving him some benefit of the doubt because the side hasn't been together long enough to know their combinations and there are a lot of rookies but I'm not all that confident he'll come good. I think he benefited from the sides he had around him at Manly and the Dogs.