Where to from here?

[Mr_Knightside]

So our annual injury crisis has struck a little early this year. So where to form here and what are the possible scenarios?

Pearce being injured is possibly a blessing in disguise given what his recent form has been like. At least Green is back which will hopefully mean we look more organised in attack.

I think the last couple of weeks really highlighted how much we are missing Ponga. Hoy really does have some bad errors in his game and we just don’t get good set starts with him because of his kick returns not being up to scratch. Also Ponga’s positioning is way better at the back for diffusing kicks and counter attacking. If Ponga isn’t right to go next week we probably need Watson to fill in there in the mean time.

Mann hopefully will be back sooner rather than later and will probably be at 5/8 for the majority of the season now which I know isn’t what we all wanted but it could be worse.

Basically from here on in it’ll be up to Brailey and Green to organise and do most of the kicking and if we can keep them on the field with Ponga and Watson I think we will look decent in attack but we really can’t afford to lose any more outside backs or have bad injuries in the forwards.

I think we will have to weather a few rough weeks until we at least have a half decent side on the field again but once we do then I think we will still be good enough to beat a lot of the teams around us and below us.

I think best case scenario now is 7th or 8th and we get blown off the park week 1 of the finals again but given the injury toll I just don’t think we can expect much more than that now. It’s a real shame though given we finally got a great draw with so few games against the top sides this year and we’re probably going to lose a few more frustrating games like the last couple of weeks against middle of the road teams but hopefully we’re good enough to make the most of what we’ve got.

Thoughts?

 

[mozza91]

The near future is pretty bleak. But It’d be nice to get something resembling a full strength side on the park a few months down the track and see if we can produce something in the back half of the year.

More likely we’ll continue to get injury after injury and I’ll cry myself to sleep each night.

 

[perverse]

Everything fell apart today, and I think it'd be hard to put the pieces back together without seeing how the dust settles tomorrow.

What I would say though is that in adversity character is built. This moment for the team will be a real test of the coach. The effort has been there, and as a fan that tunes in every week - that hasn't always been a given for us if we're being honest. Whichever 17 rocks up next week, I just hope they have a dig for 80.

 

[Tony Morris]

I've said it before, we're rebuilding under the guidance of a great coach with AOB.

These things don't happen overnight.

If people can't see how creative our spine is looking, the bigger picture is exciting. Yeah this year's not going too well, but look ahead.

We've just signed the best youth international FB in Hodgson, that has to lead you to thinking KP is moving to the halves and look how well that's panned out with the likes of Wighton. We need a decent half to compliment KP, keep Brailey at Hooker and I'm liking what I see. We have a great forward pack already to build on. Lets keep the faith. Future looks exciting !!

 

[Yosh]

Better fall apart now then a week or two out from the finals. Hopefully the injuries aren't too bad for the fellas and we can put together a consistent squad from mid season onwards.

Positives so far:

- Forwards look solid, maybe even nearing dominant
- Brailey is a god send
- Ponga to come back
- Squad looks super fit

Negatives:

- A lot...

I don't want to sound like a bad person but hopefully Pearce isn't rushed back to quickly. He is a dominant player (wants to the ball, not dominates the game) and won't play second fiddle it seems, even to Ponga. However, with him out and Green running the show, it could be the making of Ponga as our dominant player. I hope we see Ponga make this his side over the coming weeks. That's the one thing I'm looking forward to the most.

 

[slotmachine]

Looking at the draw we could lose the next 5 straight which would leave us at 2 wins 7 losses. Shitting the bed against the tigers will come back to haunt us.

After that though we have 3 easier games and should hopefully have everyone in the best 17 back on deck other than Pearce.

So there is going to be lots of pain in the short term, but if we can jag a win against the Titans or Sharks we could be in an ok spot by the end of round 12.

 

[Johns Magic]

If they keep fighting to win like they have been I will be happy. Effort levels have been high this year even when they’ve had excuses not to be.

 

[hindy111]

The forward pack is excellent. One of best in comp.
But these things do not last. A lot of money tied up in Klemmer who is not worth the 900k. Frizzel is enormous but aging. Also on big dollars.
The Safiti brothers will need an upgrade in 2023. Ponga will always want big dollars. When fit deserves it but remember he is a million a season.

The time to win it will be this season or next for you guys. 2023 you will see aging forwards on big coin sinking the side.

Braiden Best is also would of had a monster upgrade. Imo best centre in game.
I'd go all out for a half for 2022. Would be your best shot.

 

[Jono078]

All is not lost. It’s only round 4. As long as we’re in a position to be playing in the finals and all our troops come back at the right time then we could make a really good push. Just need to remain positive and they have to keep competing.

 

[Rodney Rude]

I can’t wait for the season to end already...

25 weeks of stress and anger is not good for anyone’s mental health.

Welcome to the life of being a Knights fan

 

[Knight76]

I'm actually a little optimistic that all is not lost.

We likely get Ponga back next week, and with Green running the show as the playmaker, and Watson the running 5/8, Brailey still at hooker that isn't a bad spine. Certainly we don't lose much with Pearce missing.

Green and Pearce, you have Pearce being dominant playmaker which lets face it, he isn't great at, and then you have him being dominant kicker which lets face it, he isn't great at. Pearce doesn't really take on the line at all, Green won't either.

Green and Watson, you have Green taking the lead for kicking and playmaking, which he is actually competent at. You get the bonus of Watson that is a runner, very dynamic and will cause issues, where with Pearce he only ran when he couldn't work out a pass, usually on the 5th tackle.

I'd be getting Brailey kicking from Dummy Half more, that looks great when he does it, and get Green kicking a much more varied kicking game.

Plus, we still have a very good forward pack that can match it with any.

 

[slotmachine]

Pearce doesn't really take on the line at all

Pearce sucks, but that's not true.

 

[Knight76]

Pearce sucks, but that's not true.

Really? How often would you say he gets the ball and thinks run before pass?

He runs it at the line when he looks around and can't find a passing option. There is an occasion where he does run it at the line if he sees a chance, but it is rare. Not saying he never does it I guess, at all might have been too far, just it's not his game.

Opposition D knows exactly what they are getting with the Knights, with no Ponga to add something dynamic we must be the easiest team to defend against in the comp. 1 out runs constantly, offloads rarely ever get spread wide, Kicking game is endless mid field bombs, no support runners when someone is taking a hit up, our backline plays are horrid with no shape to our line and just pass it along hoping for a gap.

 

[Walk On Home Boy]

There are some positives when you look at the potential line up this week. Ponga is obviously a huge upgrade over Hoy who is rubbish, Green at 7 gives me more confidence than Pearce, Mann is a frustrating player and when used in the halves, his shortcomings are highlighted. If anything, I'd say we look stronger if Ponga returns. J.Saf is the only real loss for mine.

Idk... just trying to be positive.

 

[Yosh]

Really? How often would you say he gets the ball and thinks run before pass?

He runs it at the line when he looks around and can't find a passing option. There is an occasion where he does run it at the line if he sees a chance, but it is rare. Not saying he never does it I guess, at all might have been too far, just it's not his game.

Opposition D knows exactly what they are getting with the Knights, with no Ponga to add something dynamic we must be the easiest team to defend against in the comp. 1 out runs constantly, offloads rarely ever get spread wide, Kicking game is endless mid field bombs, no support runners when someone is taking a hit up, our backline plays are horrid with no shape to our line and just pass it along hoping for a gap.

Just watching what Cronk was saying about being a top half. He said you need to make yourself dangerous first and foremost and then if nothing is on, see what's outside you. Complimented Sam Walker on his heads up play as well.

Pearce has 301 games under his belt but still looks clueless out there.

 

[K-Man]

Just watching what Cronk was saying about being a top half. He said you need to make yourself dangerous first and foremost and then if nothing is on, see what's outside you. Complimented Sam Walker on his heads up play as well.

Pearce has 301 games under his belt but still looks clueless out there.

Definitely agree with all that. One of Pearce's shortcomings, and he's not alone amongst modern halves, is that he's quite robotic rather than being a natural playmaker. Being technically able to kick, pass and run isn't really the issue - of course he can do those things - but he doesn't use his skills to make defenders question their decisions under pressure. You see what Walker did for that lovely try assist on debut and yes he deserves credit for the pass itself, but it's how he uses the threat of his running game, stepping into the half space with the ball in two hands to draw in multiple defenders, that's what made it simple yet special for his age. Pearce after 301 games would still be more likely to telegraph the obvious pass or the obvious run without laying the subtle groundwork.

You see it all the time even in the touch footy comp I play in. So many guys can run fast, step and even throw a decent pass, but so few use their body, footwork, eyes and hands in a way that actually draws a defensive error in order to capitalise on those skills. Pearce will obviously never be that type of truly gifted playmaker. Walker on first evidence may well be. Worth mentioning that Ponga is definitely that type of player, it's not so much pure speed and stepping that makes him so dangerous, it's the way he puts himself between defenders, holds the ball in two hands, and makes late decisions on running, passing or kicking.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Our attack has been boring and stunted for over a decade now. The last real attacking minded coach we had was Brian Smith. After that it’s all been very bland. Rick Stone couldn’t coach his way out of a wet paper bag, Bennett was all about defence and discipline which our team wasn’t capable of delivering on and Brown was trying to teach a bunch of reserve graders how to hold the ball for his first 2 years and when he finally signed some better players he still failed to deliver any real attacking gameplay other than “pass it to Ponga!”

Whilst I like a lot of what I see from AOB I still haven’t seen anything different in our attacking game plan.

The thing that really shits me whilst watching us play is that we basically just don’t pose any threat between our own goal line and the opposition’s 20m zone. Literally it’s all one-out runs and the occasional dummy half scoot off a quick play the ball and when we do get to the 20m zone we either try a crash play with our front rowers or just play out the back to Ponga and hope he comes up with a magic pass or scores himself.

You look at teams like Melbourne, Souths, Roosters, Raiders, Eels and Penrith and they all look legitimately like they can score from anywhere on the field and they frequently do. How have we not looked at their play styles and at least tried to emulate it to some extent?

 

[slotmachine]

Why would the coach be looking to be more expansive when the team can't execute the simple stuff without dropping the ball a million times?

 

[Knight76]

Anyone go to training sessions and watch what they practice at them?

Are they practicing attacking moves with shape and decoy runners etc, or do they practice one out runs and forwards crashing in to the line to try and score?

I really wonder what they actually do at training.

 

[Yosh]

I'm totally fine with the attack at the moment to be honest. I just want us to kick better at the end of sets. Not even attacking kicks but field position and repeat set kicks. I don't want to see another pointless midfield bomb ever again...