2019 NIB Knights

Pieman wrote:Considering that he did his knee a heap of times playing for the roosters, who, I duno, I assume they have fucking awesome training facilities - what you said is pretty silly.

I was under the impression that they vastly improved their training facilities over the last few years.

According to this they use the NSW Institute of Sport high performance facilities at the moment. They use to use the uni gym a lot, which wasn't Ideal, duno if they still do.

Also, this looks promising.

They train at Phoenix club in Mayfield (part of the wests group) Its not a real football field. I use to see them every week when i took the young fella to swimming lessons.

The fact he has done his knees a few times on good training grounds is why i think he will struggle on sub-par training grounds

Was waiting for it. Knights once again on the end of a bad call, just when there is a glimmer of hope. That clearly was not a forward pass for the Matutia non try.

Far out, with all the forward passes that have been missed this season and this round in particular, how they call that one forward is beyond me.

We still have a bye up our sleeve.

Congrats.

The Newcastle spoon collection is becoming pretty impressive!!

Can't believe this mob of reserve graders couldn't even beat the Tigers. Hard to believe I had faith in them to avoid the spoon.

I actually thought they had a put up a fight their last couple of games and would account for the Tigers easily. If you are going to step up, this is the game and you almost guarantee yourself to avoid the spoon. May be it's more of a reflection of their opponents the last couple of weeks than their ability.

I thought they would too mate especially have to hard games they have played recently.
I guess not.

Some really disappointing things from this game were:

1. Hodkinson's kicking game. It was fucking awful. Deadset, for a guy who has played origin and who has been playing reggies you would think that at the very least his kicking would be OK. It was disgusting.

2. Feeney retaining his spot over Lamb. Feeney is the worst player in the NRL and he showed it once again on the weekend. His drop for the first Newcastle mistake of the game, then the bad read shortly after and the tigers score. Fuck him off, he is disgusting. Terrible terrible NRL player. We would genuinely be better off playing with Buhrer at 6 and just have him there defending. Thank fuck his contract is not being renewed, he belongs in the superleague. Absolute shithouse player, honestly I dont even think he would be any good in NSW cup.

3. Gagai playing wing. OK he is a great winger at origin level, and should prob be on the wing in the Aus team going off his origin form but why put him there? Ross had a fucking barry of a game, move him back to the wing where he belongs and play Gagai at fullback.

2 of those are all on brown really


do you think he gets another year pieman? i think its pretty harsh to blame him to much but he has made some odd decisions lately.


i think he should get atleast another season but wouldn't be shocked if newy didn't give it to him, especially if they only 1 (or 0) game the rest of the year

Feeney is one of those players that seem to make our way into our side and keep getting a gig Ala Ben Rogers. Must be a dynamite trainer.

Knights need a good kick up the ass, they're not as bad as they make them out to be. Just need to have some confidence in themselves, the team selections do raise some eyebrows but you have to do something different I guess.

If Feeney asked for a contract extension and it was anything more than a packet of half opened stale packet of chips and an expired condom I would piss myself laughing.

Brown seems like a good bloke and is possibly a really good "coach" as well for all I know. But being a coach isn't just knowing how to read the game and call a play. At rep level you need to know how to keep it simple, and your predominant role is as a motivator and to have the ability to bring together a bunch of players from different clubs and states (eg Meninga). At club level, recruitment would have to be one of the most important roles of a coach, perhaps the most important role. While that's not all on Brown, he hasn't been able to recruit enough quality players (or keep their only current origin player for that matter).

My big fear for Newy (and I want them to do well, their fans deserve it, and they are genuine fans who have 19K turn up to a wooden spoon match) is that while they are undoubtedly getting better with the players they have, if they don't start getting a few more players, then when guys like Safiti, Lamb or whoever start being really good NRL players with 70-100 games under their belt, there is every chance someone like a Bellamy, Bennett, Green or Robinson might well approach them and say "wouldn't it be nice to play finals footy and have a chance of winning a premiership". You could hardly blame them for leaving in that case, and they will have gone through a rebuilding process for nothing, and got nowhere, and have to start again.

The Wests group (different to the Wests Tigers) are going to buy Newcastle franchise and have said they back Brown and he will be there next year.

leaguegod wrote:2 of those are all on brown really


do you think he gets another year pieman? i think its pretty harsh to blame him to much but he has made some odd decisions lately.


i think he should get atleast another season but wouldn't be shocked if newy didn't give it to him, especially if they only 1 (or 0) game the rest of the year

Some of the selections recently are a bit odd yep, besides that I think he is doing a good job. My issue with getting rid of him is.. who for? Who would be better? There arent any amazing coaches out there that are free to replace him.

He has done well with what he has - easily the worst roster in the history of the game - and they are improving. Slightly.

Dip wrote:Brown seems like a good bloke and is possibly a really good "coach" as well for all I know. But being a coach isn't just knowing how to read the game and call a play. At rep level you need to know how to keep it simple, and your predominant role is as a motivator and to have the ability to bring together a bunch of players from different clubs and states (eg Meninga). At club level, recruitment would have to be one of the most important roles of a coach, perhaps the most important role. While that's not all on Brown, he hasn't been able to recruit enough quality players (or keep their only current origin player for that matter).

My big fear for Newy (and I want them to do well, their fans deserve it, and they are genuine fans who have 19K turn up to a wooden spoon match) is that while they are undoubtedly getting better with the players they have, if they don't start getting a few more players, then when guys like Safiti, Lamb or whoever start being really good NRL players with 70-100 games under their belt, there is every chance someone like a Bellamy, Bennett, Green or Robinson might well approach them and say "wouldn't it be nice to play finals footy and have a chance of winning a premiership". You could hardly blame them for leaving in that case, and they will have gone through a rebuilding process for nothing, and got nowhere, and have to start again.

yeah mate have been saying that for the last 2 years. Will be sad when the Saifiti boys are playing for the roosters and co in a few years time.

Newcastle really are not that far off. Landing a decent prop and a good half will really help, its just a matter of doing it. I am shocked we havent signed a good superleague prop yet (if there are any).

Landing guys like Guerra and SKD will improve the side. Its a shame we couldnt get Guerra to come this year. It means guys like elliot and sio (etc) wont be getting a run when there is a healthy side. They arent going to singlehandedly turn newie around but they will help. They are genuine first grade players with experience.

We are pretty much just a 50% reserve graders and 20% fringe first graders. 30% of the side is acutally decent in Buhrer, Matautia, Barnett, Ross and gagai. The rest of the team wouldnt make anyone elses first grade 17.

Fucking feeney, jesus christ he is a terrible terrible player.

As soon as Newie get 1 win (it may not come till next season) we will get 2. Its just a matter of getting that first one to get the confidence back

Pieman wrote:I thought they would too mate especially have to hard games they have played recently.
I guess not.

Some really disappointing things from this game were:

1. Hodkinson's kicking game. It was fucking awful. Deadset, for a guy who has played origin and who has been playing reggies you would think that at the very least his kicking would be OK. It was disgusting.

2. Feeney retaining his spot over Lamb. Feeney is the worst player in the NRL and he showed it once again on the weekend. His drop for the first Newcastle mistake of the game, then the bad read shortly after and the tigers score. Fuck him off, he is disgusting. Terrible terrible NRL player. We would genuinely be better off playing with Buhrer at 6 and just have him there defending. Thank fuck his contract is not being renewed, he belongs in the superleague. Absolute shithouse player, honestly I dont even think he would be any good in NSW cup.

3. Gagai playing wing. OK he is a great winger at origin level, and should prob be on the wing in the Aus team going off his origin form but why put him there? Ross had a fucking barry of a game, move him back to the wing where he belongs and play Gagai at fullback.

That certainly was a disappointing loss and listening to Brown after the match confirms he felt the same way.

But on those points:

1. Hodkinson is plain and simply a dud. Always has been and always will be. Really has just benefited from playing alongside decent halves partners throughout his career. It's signings like that which can really hurt a club's rebuild.

2. Feeney is undoubtedly average but probably cops it pretty unfairly from a lot of fans. Yes Lamb should not have been dropped but that's because Hodko shouldn't have been elevated.

3. Why not put him there? Not going to be at the club long term and Brown has obviously been given the freedom to re-build without fear of what happens this season. The week before he was being called a genius for the Ross move and a week later all and sundry had forgotten. Worth a shot IMO to see if Ross is any good back there for next season.

Dip wrote:Brown seems like a good bloke and is possibly a really good "coach" as well for all I know. But being a coach isn't just knowing how to read the game and call a play. At rep level you need to know how to keep it simple, and your predominant role is as a motivator and to have the ability to bring together a bunch of players from different clubs and states (eg Meninga). At club level, recruitment would have to be one of the most important roles of a coach, perhaps the most important role. While that's not all on Brown, he hasn't been able to recruit enough quality players (or keep their only current origin player for that matter).

My big fear for Newy (and I want them to do well, their fans deserve it, and they are genuine fans who have 19K turn up to a wooden spoon match) is that while they are undoubtedly getting better with the players they have, if they don't start getting a few more players, then when guys like Safiti, Lamb or whoever start being really good NRL players with 70-100 games under their belt, there is every chance someone like a Bellamy, Bennett, Green or Robinson might well approach them and say "wouldn't it be nice to play finals footy and have a chance of winning a premiership". You could hardly blame them for leaving in that case, and they will have gone through a rebuilding process for nothing, and got nowhere, and have to start again.

Agree Dip it is a risk.

I know a lot of people have shot me down about this in the past and that this season is not a good indication....but the coach Brown/Newy should be emulating is Ricky Stuart.

Recruiting is important but a team on paper always looks better when they start winning and getting on a roll.
And laike Canberra 3 years ago, Newy probably don't have the luxury of recruiting an instantly good team.
A couple of decent signings here and there is all they can hope for and all they are currently achieving, so they should be pouring all their efforts into the team culture behind the scenes.

I think Browny is capable of that and they have showed glimpses that this is happening throughout this season.
A few wins on the trot in 2018 is all it may take.

No Worries wrote:The Wests group (different to the Wests Tigers) are going to buy Newcastle franchise and have said they back Brown and he will be there next year.

"He has the boards backing"

If I was Browny I would be packing my bags now.

@Oz Sport Mad

Quality post.

The Knights are on the rebuild, the past two years was about clearing out the deadwood. However it's not going to go flawlessly - there comes a time where you need a really good signing. Not someone who's good value, we need someone who's just quality. I still maintain that it's only going to work when we have that "Asotasi" signing - someone in their prime who's in form and wants to join us. I really wish we went harder for Boyd Cordner, he would have been perfect. Imagine the NSW captain joining the squad, that's a solid platform right there.

Oz Sport Mad wrote:

That certainly was a disappointing loss and listening to Brown after the match confirms he felt the same way.

But on those points:

1. Hodkinson is plain and simply a dud. Always has been and always will be. Really has just benefited from playing alongside decent halves partners throughout his career. It's signings like that which can really hurt a club's rebuild.

2. Feeney is undoubtedly average but probably cops it pretty unfairly from a lot of fans. Yes Lamb should not have been dropped but that's because Hodko shouldn't have been elevated.

3. Why not put him there? Not going to be at the club long term and Brown has obviously been given the freedom to re-build without fear of what happens this season. The week before he was being called a genius for the Ross move and a week later all and sundry had forgotten. Worth a shot IMO to see if Ross is any good back there for next season.



Agree Dip it is a risk.

I know a lot of people have shot me down about this in the past and that this season is not a good indication....but the coach Brown/Newy should be emulating is Ricky Stuart.

Recruiting is important but a team on paper always looks better when they start winning and getting on a roll.
And laike Canberra 3 years ago, Newy probably don't have the luxury of recruiting an instantly good team.
A couple of decent signings here and there is all they can hope for and all they are currently achieving, so they should be pouring all their efforts into the team culture behind the scenes.

I think Browny is capable of that and they have showed glimpses that this is happening throughout this season.
A few wins on the trot in 2018 is all it may take.

1. I never wanted him at the club, and he benefited form a brilliant NSW performance, getting NSW home to win in one of the greatest upsets in australian sport. Even when he signed, I said we were better off chucking that same amount of money at ash taylor and trying to get him. Hodkinson, in a good side, is a good player. Wasting 700k plus on him was never a good idea, you are not the first person to say that.

2. No. Feeney is the worst player in the NRL. Easily. Shouldnt be close to the NRL side.

3. Ross was having a fucking shocker. Move him back to the wing to get comfortable again and then try again. Gagai is at the club now, if you arent going to use him in his best position then dont play him at all. At least play him at right centre if not at fullback.

Brown shouldnt be emulating the Coach Ricky stuart. He should be emulating their signings - a handful of solid guys, then you get a great signing or 2, and a shit load of luck. Brown has tried to do that. he went for Scott, Cordner, every other player under the sun who is a good first grader. We got Guerra, prob paid a fortune for him and he will prob be a let down. But he is a name. We got SKD, who is also a name. We had bird until the broncos paid even more for him somehow. Brown is trying.

We have taken a punt on a young gun, no matter how good he is we need some good props and a good half to utilise him. Would love for us to go after Mitchell to play fb and we can put Ponga at 6 or 14.

You are right HS. Its why I want us to chase someone like Klemmer. A weapon rep player coming into the prime of his career that will really help turn the club around. Newie have cleared out a lot of overpaid dead wood. There is still some around, but we have room to buy. The big signing will come in time, and until then we have had to replace the guys we lost with absoute spuds in the hope that we can save enough money to buy some quality players. Newcastle a trying.. its slow and up until the game against the tigers we had shown a fair bit of improvement.

As I said just before, a couple of wins are not far away. As soon as we get 1, we will get 2.

From FoxSports under the banner: Why Trent Hodkinson didn’t take penalty goal attempt against Bulldogs-


“I thought the penalty was on the 40-metre line and obviously Lamby has got the bigger boot. He slots them over there at training all the time.

“When he lined it up it was on the 30 (metre line) and I didn’t want to take it off him because he was zoned in.

“I probably should’ve taken that one. I feel for him.”


I actually really like Hodko and appreciate his honesty, but deadset...

i remember a few hodko kicks at the dogs falling short from normal sideline kicks (20m out) due to him not having the legs

with even worst knees & even further out, i knew as soon as the penalty was given if hodko took in, we would win.

i don't understand all this talk about it being unfair on lamb, he has the legs for the kick. sure there is pressure to it but do we actually shelter players from that if they are the best option ?


kerrod holland's 2nd ever kick was to win the game out wide, young or old, players seem to generally love those moments but it was a hard kick and he missed, it happens, people shouldn't be harsh on either him or hodko imo

leaguegod wrote:i remember a few hodko kicks at the dogs falling short from normal sideline kicks (20m out) due to him not having the legs

with even worst knees & even further out, i knew as soon as the penalty was given if hodko took in, we would win.

i don't understand all this talk about it being unfair on lamb, he has the legs for the kick. sure there is pressure to it but do we actually shelter players from that if they are the best option ?


kerrod holland's 2nd ever kick was to win the game out wide, young or old, players seem to generally love those moments but it was a hard kick and he missed, it happens, people shouldn't be harsh on either him or hodko imo

Hodko proved how good he could be as well when at the Dogs-didn't he kick 25 straight or something at one stage?

What amazes me about yesterday is you have a club who are in line for the wooden spoon who have just given up a 10 point lead in the last 5 minutes of a game, and they have a kick to square it back up and then:

a) the main kicker mixed the 30 and 40 metre lines up;
b) decided against taking the kick anyway even after he realised it was indeed in his range.