2018 Pre-Season and Trials

https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2018/01/12/pre-season-wrap-with-tony-ayoub-week-10/

Ayoub talks about the progress in training.
He mentions Saulo training very strongly/looking fantastic. The NSW cup profile a few days ago also said Saulo was standing out in training. Apparently he has a minor leg injury that is keeping him out of the main group at present, but is expected to return soon.
Ayoub also describes King as the "bully of the group" and says he is going hard and letting everyone know it. I suspect he isn't happy about giving up his firstgrade spot.
He seemed to say that Hosking and Amey were going strong early but have dropped off the pace.

Wow he’s seems pretty excited about our progress let’s hope it translates into the field


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I didnt see much of Saulo in NYC

But when I did get to watch him in reserves it was immediately apparent that he was going to play FG. Then I found out he'd only just turned 19 and I became convinced he could become a very effective FG'r

He reminds me of Tapine, but bigger. Very similar style of player, rangey, strong and skillful. Oddly enough, both players seemed to hit explosive form once given an opportunity in reserve grade

Saulo will see FG this year, with or without injury imo
 
He seemed to say that Hosking and Amey were going strong early but have dropped off the pace.

Think he might've meant they've gone back down to 2nd tier training after Christmas? Have either of them been seen this year with the NRL training?
 
Think he might've meant they've gone back down to 2nd tier training after Christmas? Have either of them been seen this year with the NRL training?

Yeah that’s the impression I got wonder why they wouldn’t keep them there all the way through?


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Sam Stone looks to have put on a few Kilo's of muscle , Fat Pat doesn't look like fat Pat anymore . Moga has legs like tree stumps , Guerra looks fit and ready to go and Griffin looks as wide in the ankles as he is in the shoulders lol he's a nugget....I still think were a year away but imo in 2019 we will have a very dominant pack of forwards and that will make our backline terrifying to other teams ...
 
Sam Stone looks to have put on a few Kilo's of muscle , Fat Pat doesn't look like fat Pat anymore . Moga has legs like tree stumps , Guerra looks fit and ready to go and Griffin looks as wide in the ankles as he is in the shoulders lol he's a nugget....I still think were a year away but imo in 2019 we will have a very dominant pack of forwards and that will make our backline terrifying to other teams ...

What difference is there between our pack from 2018 to 2019?

I really have trouble understanding this thinking. Yes there could be some improvement over the 12 months but why is it such a fundamental talking point for so many people that 2018 wont be our year but 2019 will?

It could literally be the opposite way around !
 
Another one of my bones to pick is this idea that Ponga will be a rubbish fullback in 2018, then probably be decent in 2019 then be really good in 2020. People, people, Billy Slater, James Tedesco, Jarryd Hayne these players were killing it at 20 from fullback. They werent in their prime, but they were very very good

Players of extraordinary talent, whether they're halves, backs or forwards tend to be very good from about 10-20 games in
 
What difference is there between our pack from 2018 to 2019?

I really have trouble understanding this thinking. Yes there could be some improvement over the 12 months but why is it such a fundamental talking point for so many people that 2018 wont be our year but 2019 will?

It could literally be the opposite way around !
Its pretty close to a new team and it takes time to learn to play as a team they have to learn the way each other plays and you hear players say this all the time and i have experienced it coaching kids teams ....I would love it to be the way you say it could be but imo it wont be ...The other thing is we still have a lot of young players that are still learning what is needed in 1st grade , Fitzy , Stone , Ponga , Watson , even the Saifiti's a year of 1st grade Together and they will be so much better in 2019 ....
 
I haven't said that Ponga would be rubbish in 2018 but experience and time playing with your team mates makes everyone better and especially playing as a team ...
 
Knights Connection to Improve Lamb



Simon Masterton (Twitter: @OiSimmo) NSWRL.com.au
Sat 13 Jan 2018, 12:09 PM




As an up-and-coming half who has genuine hopes of a sky blue jersey, Brock Lamb is in the prime position to achieve his Origin dream.

Any time you’re with those blokes you’ve just got to open your ears and listen to what they’ve got to say.

Brock Lamb
The Knights’ search for an established half has been well-documented in the decade since the retirement of Andrew Johns, with many believing the club has found what they’ve been looking for with the signing of Mitchell Pearce. Set to be Pearce’s understudy in 2018, Lamb will hope his improvement can place him further in the frame for Origin selection.


“He’s a really experienced player and he’s got a lot of knowledge, so he helps not only me but the other halves at the club,” Lamb tells NSWRL.com.au at the 2018 Emerging Blues camp.

“Obviously it’s a goal for any kid growing up in NSW, they want to play for their state so [being selected for the Emerging Blues] is massive for me.

“I’m just going to take it with both hands, train as hard as I can and hopefully in the near future I can be playing for the team.”
In addition to his new partnership with Pearce, Lamb will now have the benefit of learning from two club legends in the Emerging Blues program: Danny Buderus and Johns himself.

“I’ve done a little bit with Danny, not so much with Joey, but any time you’re with those blokes you’ve just got to open your ears and listen to what they’ve got to say,” Lamb says.

“There’s a lot of quality coaches here so you pick up as much as you can off them and hopefully take it back to my club.”

“Just to be named with some of the other quality players here and obviously to be recognised by the coaching staff is a massive achievement by myself.”

While Lamb’s individual journey has received a boost with the selection, the club as a whole has become an ideal place for emerging talent to prosper.

Teammates Sione Mata’utia, Daniel Saifiti and Connor Watson join him in the program this year, while fellow Knights Kalyn Ponga and Tauta Moga were selected for the squad’s Queensland counterpart.

“It’s good recognition for the club, we’ve got a few good players there now,” Lamb adds.

“We actually had a couple of the boys selected in the Queensland one as well, so it’s good for the club knowing we’ve got quality players coming through.”

The Knights’ expected rise from wooden spooners to top-eight contenders will begin with a Round 1 matchup against the Manly Sea Eagles on Friday, 9 March at McDonald Jones Stadium.


https://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2018/01/13/knights-connection-to-improve-lamb/
 
Saulo will see FG this year, with or without injury imo
Do you think he'll leapfrog King in the pecking order? If he does I think we're in for a good year with our forward depth, imo he has already pushed Amey and Yates further and further away from a potential 17 spot in 2018.
 
Don't think any of the four will be first grade unless serious injury for first half of season but Saulo is most potential with King a goer, forget Amey and Yates in firsts, if so then we are in injury crisis.
 
There's no reason to rush Saulo.
He is the same age as the Saifiti's were when they made firstgrade, and arguably his form is better than theirs was in the year before doing their first senior pre season, but I think we brought the twins on a season before they were really ready because we had to, and we don't have to do that with Saulo.
A perfect year for him would be training with firstgrade, playing with reserve grade, and maybe getting a handful of games in firstgrade off the bench towards the end of the season.
Next year we do the same with Matt Croker - who might even be a better prop than Saulo.
 
Interesting that Cory Denniss was filling Moga's spot at left centre in what looked like the firstgrade team.
It might just be they put him there because he is the most like Moga (tall, hardrunning), or he might be our next best centre, which makes me question for the 100th time why we let both Pete and Elliot go.
 
It does make you wonder, our two best centres, based on games played during 2017, are gone and we now have a shortage of ready made replacements. Why not a two year deal for one or both, salary cap is not a problem, instead we sign a few players with not as much potential, Naden and Hazard. Moto is not guaranteed to be fit for round 1 so it will be fill ins.
Is my only complaint about signings for coming season, shortage of centres, all other positions are more than covered.
 
What difference is there between our pack from 2018 to 2019?

I really have trouble understanding this thinking. Yes there could be some improvement over the 12 months but why is it such a fundamental talking point for so many people that 2018 wont be our year but 2019 will?

It could literally be the opposite way around !

If you don't get it hours of explaining it to you won't.
 
Interesting that Cory Denniss was filling Moga's spot at left centre in what looked like the firstgrade team.
It might just be they put him there because he is the most like Moga (tall, hardrunning), or he might be our next best centre, which makes me question for the 100th time why we let both Pete and Elliot go.

Pete was plod. Elliot must have banged Browns Mrs. He looked the dogs each start.
 
If we do show significant on field improvement & manage our cap well enough to have money spare, it excites me to think what we could do for recruitment for 2019. We won't be seen as going backwards anymore & guys like Ponga & Pearce will get guys interested.
 
Pete was plod. Elliot must have banged Browns Mrs. He looked the dogs each start.
I thought Pete gave it his best. Done some silly things but that's him trying too hard. I personally was shocked too see Elliot not get a contract considering how light we are in that back area as he played pretty solid footy.

I just hope Elliot don't break clear playing us as we know not even ponga can catch him.
 
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