Your team for 2018

Lamb is a better half than Watson. Simple as that. I have no qualms making that statement. Whether it is still the case in 2 months or two years time, is anyone's guess

Watson signed here on the promise of a FG spot. Lamb did not. Therefore Brown's hands are tied. The real question is, how long for?

Imo Brown knows Lamb is the stronger half but is willing to see if Watson can pull a rabbit out of a hat. If he cant, then he will be utilized elsewhere in the 17

Guaranteed, Lamb will be playing FG shortly after the first month or so of the season
 
Mozza im telln ya, son.

I love Watson as a player. In fact I prefer him to Lamb. Watson will play origin imo. He is Kidley clone but heaps faster. Incredible energy and reads the game well

But ive seen enough of Watson in FG to know that he doesnt think like a half. There's more to playing at 6 than just kicking the ball and taking it to the line before passing. And last year when Watson played 6 for the Roosters they looked flat and without a plan. Watson isnt a director. And just because it suited his NYC coach to move him into the halves from FB doesnt mean he is cut out for the job.

Im totally open to people learning and I certainly wont be shocked if he absolutely kills it. But if im gonna put my money on anything, you know where its going
 
If Brown follows the same plan as last years trial Watson and Pearce will play first half and the second string squad in the second half.

Also, for the millionth time, Brown wants a 5/8 that runs the ball. Despite his myriad of apparent failings Watson does that better than Lamb at this point. Interestingly Brown has also said the team is going to move away from utilising a half on either side of the ruck and go old-school. In which case, Watson won't have to do much organising at all.
 
Billy said:
Watson is a very good utility.
Having sessions with Matt Johns, training at 5/8, and having to do at least as well as Lamb and Cogger might fast track him to be our best option at 5/8 - or not.
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Yep, either option will offer plenty and hopefully they keep on napping at eachothers heels and bring out the best in eachother.
 
Brown has been looking for a very specific type of player for his 5/8th.
If he had have got Jack Bird, or someone like a Josh Reynolds, we wouldn't be talking about Watson at all.
 
Brown wants an Anthony Mundine style 5/8 who can score from anywhere and break the game open with a blistering run at any time.
Watson ain't that guy.
Ponga is the only player on our roster who might have those sort of running skills.
 
Sure. He got player of the tournament at the Auckland nines. Even beat out a certain K Ponga for that award. And they usually hand it out to second rate players. He's in terrible company with Shaun Johnson and Corey Norman there.
 
Billy said:
Brown wants an Anthony Mundine style 5/8 who can score from anywhere and break the game open with a blistering run at any time.
Watson ain't that guy.
Ponga is the only player on our roster who might have those sort of running skills.
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Might? If Ponga doesn't have them, no one in the world has them. Ponga is as good as one gets on their feet
 
Billy said:
Brown wants an Anthony Mundine style 5/8 who can score from anywhere and break the game open with a blistering run at any time.
Watson ain't that guy.
Ponga is the only player on our roster who might have those sort of running skills.
Click to expand...
Watson is more that style of 5/8 than Lamb or Cogger is.
 
From what ive seen of Watson he is a dynamic ball runner his Defence is good and he is very good at Backing up , so IF Lamb ends up playing 5/8 Ponga and Levi had better be on theyre game or they could lose theyre spots if they are not playing 100%....
I only say this because Ponga MAY have imo a problem with the defence part of the game and Danny doesn't yet have the running game a great hooker has ( just my opinion of course ).

The good thing about all this is for the first time since A Johns retired we have GOOD options to play in the halves ...
Personally i don't care who plays there or at hooker and F/back so long as they are doing the job.
Levi will be under some pressure in my opinion because he may end up having Watson trying to take his spot .
Griffin is a dark horse here too as a guy picked to back up 80 min Smith in a grand final for Melbourne Says heaps about the guy imo .

Also if Fitzy trains and plays well enough to warrant a 2nd row spot Buhrer may try to take hooker as well.
We are past the days of worrying about whether a guy playing for us is a local or not , If he is and doing the job Good... if he's not and doing the job good... As long as he has a Knights jumper on is all that matters Now -a- Days.
 
Agree Ethan but that pressure you talk about on certain players is good and should mean we have very good competition for all spots, our selected 17 each week should be strong because of it.
 
Billy said:
Brown wants an Anthony Mundine style 5/8 who can score from anywhere and break the game open with a blistering run at any time.
Watson ain't that guy.
Ponga is the only player on our roster who might have those sort of running skills.
Click to expand...

Watson ain’t that guy? His best trait is his dynamic running game and explosiveness as an athlete. If he’s not a running five-eighth, I don’t know what he is.

Also, there’s more to playing five-eighth than just the running skills you mention. What about defending in the line? Watson is more ham capable and not a weak link. Same couldn’t be said for Ponga, who really needs to mature physically, even at fullback. He wouldn’t hold up defending in the line. Not right now.
 
Ponga would weigh about 95kgs

He's put on about 5kgs since last season and its all on his upper body

He'll be fine
 
I see Billy is still a black and white thinker. If the player is a local product then he is great. If the player isnt a local then clearly he is worse than the local junior..
 
Bring it home knights said:
I see Billy is still a black and white thinker. If the player is a local product then he is great. If the player isnt a local then clearly he is worse than the local junior..
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Isn't that funny.
The way I see it, everyone else here is bizarrely enthusiastic about guys they have seen little of, and the really funny thing is, we have seen the same thing happen literally dozens of times, where guys like Cross, Reynoldson, Beau Henry, and heaps and heaps more were going to be the best we have seen.
People on this forum go mad for anyone who is from somewhere that isn't Newcastle, and 9 times out of 10 they end up with egg all over their face.
 
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I recall most local guys went onto have a decent career. Either here or elsewhere. I'm talking juniors who were seen to have some talent.
 
Billy said:
Isn't that funny.
The way I see it, everyone else here is bizarrely enthusiastic about guys they have seen little of, and the really funny thing is, we have seen the same thing happen literally dozens of times, where guys like Cross, Reynoldson, Beau Henry, and heaps and heaps more were going to be the best we have seen.
People on this forum go mad for anyone who is from somewhere that isn't Newcastle, and 9 times out of 10 they end up with egg all over their face.
Click to expand...
Did I see read you giving Ponga a wrap before Billy ;)
 
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