Round 8: Newcastle Knights vs North Queensland Cowboys

What is your prediction for this game ??

  • Knights 13+

    Votes: 2 9.5%
  • Knights 1-12

    Votes: 6 28.6%
  • Draw

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Cowboys 1-12

    Votes: 5 23.8%
  • Cowboys 13+

    Votes: 8 38.1%

  • Total voters
    21
  • Poll closed .
Huge slap in the face for fans if so. They should open the gates on game day and let everyone in for free.

Again, they can't keep on losing and pretending it's OK while repeating "rebuild" and "cleanout".
 
Try to win some games. Spend the cap. Incrementally improve the squad rather than go for a big bang.

Moses, Woods and Tedesco leaving the Tigers has screwed the marquee plan. They have more money to spend than us now and are in Sydney.

The fact is bottoming out as bad as we did means we are now poison to anyone with half a bit of skill and other options. The team needs to show they can win some games and with the 19 players contracted for next year we will still run last.

People are in denial about how bad the Knights are. You probably have to go back to the 1930's to find a worse run in the top level.
 
I must admit besides goal kicking I can only see an improvement with Hodkinson out. All he does is pass the ball to Barnett or outside backs on the last tackle, maybe Feeney will mix it up a bit and you know....kick the ball. Might even try tackling here or there.
 
Try to win some games. Spend the cap. Incrementally improve the squad rather than go for a big bang.

Moses, Woods and Tedesco leaving the Tigers has screwed the marquee plan. They have more money to spend than us now and are in Sydney.

The fact is bottoming out as bad as we did means we are now poison to anyone with half a bit of skill and other options. The team needs to show they can win some games and with the 19 players contracted for next year we will still run last.

People are in denial about how bad the Knights are. You probably have to go back to the 1930's to find a worse run in the top level.
That formulae saw us middle of the table with no chance at a title.
What they are doing now is attempting to have some bad years so we can have a shot at putting together a squad that can outperform the rest of the competition for at least a few seasons.
With us not being one of the richer clubs who can compete every year, this is what we have to do to have a chance at a title. It's either this, or being content with making up the numbers, or wait for a once in a hundred years player like Joey to come along.
 
Short memories. We were looking pretty good with Brian Smith at the helm before 10 years olds starting writing letters to the herald and he got run out of town.

And "some bad years" shouldn't mean historically bad.

The Raiders are doing OK last time I checked, and they didn't sign rep players to get there. Austin, not wanted by Tigers. Hodgson, no one knew who he was. Sezer, OK player but not rep level. BJ, Tapine, Whitehead, Paulo. None of them origin/aus/nz reps. They also didn't fall as far, but it's a bit late for that now.
 
Well that's the kiss of death. The 2016 leadership group;

Tariq - Dragons
J Smith - Retirement
Hodko - Dropped
Randall - Exiled to Siberia
Rochow - Souths
Gagai - still standing
 
Not making Gagai captain is a bit of a slap in the face for him, I can only hope they offered it to him and he said no for whatever reason.
 
Coach provides squad update


Fri 21st April, 05:16PM


nib Newcastle Knights coach Nathan Brown has confirmed Trent Hodkinson won’t play against the North Queensland Cowboys this Saturday.

“Trent is the ultimate professional but this is a decision that is best for the team at the moment,” Brown said.

The coach also said Sione Mata’utia will captain the side on Saturday.

Lachlan Fitzgibbon is expected to drop off the extended bench, which is confirmed at 5.30pm on Friday.

The Club traveled with an extended squad to Townsville on Thursday; the final 17-man team will be announced one hour before kick off on Saturday.


http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2017/04/21/coach_provides_squad.html
 
Geez Josh starlings mindset annoys me. Speaks so confidently but is so garbage! Talks about getting 4 into a tackle is the only way to stop big jt and giggles. How about you get in a jam his ribs and break a few yourself you big sack of cotton. Poor attitude.
 
Not making Gagai captain is a bit of a slap in the face for him, I can only hope they offered it to him and he said no for whatever reason.

Yeah no doubt Sione would probably make a good captain one day but by making Gagai captain it would've taken his game to another level.
He knows he's the man now and can't drift in and out games.
I don't know but I feel it is the completely wrong decision by Browny.
 
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Short memories. We were looking pretty good with Brian Smith at the helm before 10 years olds starting writing letters to the herald and he got run out of town.

I was never a fan of how we handled Smith's situation and that Burraston covered it up by saying he was never a long term option there and let him talk to other teams thinking signing an inexperienced coach at first grade level because he was from within was the solution.
To this day I still wonder what Brian could have done with that team he built and in particular in 2009 because we had beaten a lot of the top 4 sides (had an issue winning some matches we should have won), and the years following.

People (the dumb media) may not agree with how he handled things but he bought in players that could execute the style of football he wanted the team to play, and for some time it was enjoyable to watch even from non-Knights fans looking in.

I am seeing that in the team this year and hoping with the absence of Hodkinson and more time it'll shine through even more
 
I wonder what is the youngest NRL captain ever?

I believe Dave Brown holds the record but could be wrong, He was 19 when he was appointed captain at Eastern Suburbs

He was captain of Australia at 22 as well which I think is also a record

Fantastic player by all accounts, My pop saw him play quite a few times
 
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