What's the solution?

IanG

IanG

Darren Treacy
It's clear that after a good start to the season it's become clear that the Knights have lost their mojo. So I ask you all. What's the solution to the slump. Today I thought at first when we got to a 12-0 least that we were back on track. But then it all turned to custard.

I agree that some players need to spend a couple of weeks back in NSW Cup. But how do we turn the ship around? I'm at a loss.
 
Honestly? Nothing.

We took a step in the right direction in the opening 20. Our backs got plenty of ball, plenty of room to move and they were devastating. We forced repeat sets, kicked really well and found the turf more often than not. Forwards rolled, defence was strong. But once we started subbing players the drop balls came, we seemed to play a more forwards game and starved our backs of quality ball. Suddenly we were getting beaten in attack and when the fifth tackle options came they were in our face putting mountains of pressure. It's obviously a confidence issue and it's something that's not helped by losing these sorts of games. I don't know if Roberts can remain in first grade any longer and perhaps giving someone like Feeney or running Randell in there is an option until either he finds form or we simply persist and hit the market.

It sucks right now, but it's not as detrimental to the season as it may seem.
 
Enthusiastic players.
Newton might not be great, but he ripped into the guys who were slacking off in NSW cup today and got them to fight for the win.
Ross might have a few areas of his game which are not up to standard, but the guy plays like his life depends on it, and he is inhumanely strong in the tackle - he breaks the first tackle every time.
Chanel lifts for big games, and he would try his guts out if promoted.
I think Sione gives us a lot of enthusiasm, but he didn't look like that today.

At one stage in the NSW cup game today the guys were packing a scrum and they were all whinging to the ref about a bad call he had made, and 60 metres away in the top of the stands, all i could hear was Newton screaming at them to concentrate on the game.

Redman would die for the red and blue. He was our goal kicker today. Never done it before in his life, but i'm sure he spent all week learning how. He plays his guts out every week.
 
We just don't have enough quality in the key positions. I don't want to single anyone out but Gidley's complete lack of composure as the captain of the side is unacceptable and I think dropping him (along with a few others) would go a long way to helping. Won't happen though.
 
Open the coaching doors to some of the guys in the game day thread, we'd be back on top of the ladder in no time
 
In all seriousness I don't know. That's why Rick Stone is the coach and not me. Not any of the posters in the game day thread or those on that Facebook Group
 
I'd:

1. Drop Gidley, Mullen and Houston. Tell them there services are unwanted and they have permission to talk to other clubs/**** off to the ESL.
2. Tell Roberts and Clydsdale they are about to join Gidley, Mullen and Houston if they don't pick it up.
3. Call the managers of Chris Sandow, Trent Hodkinson, and James Maloney.
 
listo said:
Open the coaching doors to some of the guys in the game day thread, we'd be back on top of the ladder in no time
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It seems everyones on the same page mate... Only way to change the fortunes is to show under performing guys that they aren't safe. Making errors Is part of the game but making errors and showing no heart or concern is unacceptable, after we lost to dragons they cut to Jeremy smith cracking up laughing with the dragons, the game has been finished for seconds and he'd forgot the result, things like the really give me the shi*s, I know it's common these days but if you don't care about the result than go fuc$ off somewhere else
 
ragnor said:
I'd:

1. Drop Gidley, Mullen and Houston. Tell them there services are unwanted and they have permission to talk to other clubs/**** off to the ESL.
2. Tell Roberts and Clydsdale they are about to join Gidley, Mullen and Houston if they don't pick it up.
3. Call the managers of Chris Sandow, Trent Hodkinson, and James Maloney.
Click to expand...

You won't see sandow play like that again for another 2 months, the last thing we need is another inconsistent halfback
 
Ethant1992 said:
It seems everyones on the same page mate... Only way to change the fortunes is to show under performing guys that they aren't safe. Making errors Is part of the game but making errors and showing no heart or concern is unacceptable, after we lost to dragons they cut to Jeremy smith cracking up laughing with the dragons, the game has been finished for seconds and he'd forgot the result, things like the really give me the shi*s, I know it's common these days but if you don't care about the result than go fuc$ off somewhere else
Click to expand...

I do care about the result mate, I could have thrown my tv out onto the road. That doesn't mean I'm going to get onto a public forum for all others to see & sink the slipper into my team while they're down.
 
The answer is easy IanG. Invent a footie with handles as dropping the ball consistently is our downfall. 4/7 and really we got out of jail against the Cowgirls and Titans, the Panthers were pathetic and the Worriers, well they are the Worriers.

Yesterday the Sims boys dropped three, Gids two, Mullo one, a forward pass from dummy half, twice no one in position for a short kick off and a couple of penalties from Faalogo gave the Eels twelve additional sets at us. Can't win with those stats against any side.
 
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EASBay17 said:
You won't see sandow play like that again for another 2 months, the last thing we need is another inconsistent halfback
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Well I just wish he'd have saved that performance for some other team. **** him and feed him fish heads
 
I want to see Mullen take all the responsibility and play both sides of the field.

no one is running the team out there.

Roberts needs to go to regies and debut a half forcing Mullen to run the show.

gids has been tried in the past and it doesn't work.

BJ is being used incorrectly, mainly roberts fault.

i think Sione offers more then Mcmanus. I'm just undecided about it.
 
How about we go back to what worked for us in the first four rounds.

Our brutal up in your face defence which has been non existent the last 3 weeks, we are giving their playmakers way too much time.

Also we need to learn how to hold onto the ball.
 
Maybe Mullen just isn't the type that can lead the team round the paddock. Maybe he needs to just sit back and chime in with a Roberts type role. Maybe we need a dominant half so the pressure is completely off him. He seems very mentally fragile. Has he ever performed for us in a big game?
 
Mullen has never been an organiser. We've been trying to force him into that role his whole career but he's just not that type of player. He'd be great in a spine with leadership and direction but we don't have that. Need to move Gidley on a buy a half but there's nobody really on the market that we could get that fits what we need.
 
EASBay17 said:
You won't see sandow play like that again for another 2 months, the last thing we need is another inconsistent halfback
Click to expand...

I tend to agree, but the Knights will never go anywhere if the status quo of Mullen and Roberts remains. Something needs to be done.

Mullen has had 10 years, all the excuses in the world, the promise of Wayne Bennett finally putting him right, and still apart from the occasional flash of brilliance absolutely useless.

And Roberts. I've been sympathetic to Roberts, thinking he deserves a chance to grow into the role, but now he has had that chance and hasn't delivered.

I'm of the firm belief the Knights have the worst halves pairing in the competition, and it has been that way pretty much since 2007.

You can have a monster pack and sublime outside backs and it won't make a difference unless you have more than two pot plants steering them around the paddock.
 
The solution is a massive reshuffle.... When was the last time a Knights player was ever dropped on form? I'm thinking maybe junior sau? We have lots of young potential in numerous positions all over the park but for a reason unknown to me stone and bennett before him chooses to play useless non effective guys like falago, houston, roberts and to a certain extent clydesdale and mcmanus. Our go forward seems so sloppy this season and I'm putting that down to the non factor of a hooker in clydesdale, I think he directs the team from a to b alright but all the good teams have attacking threatening hookers who dart from dummy half I've never seen adam run from dummy half haha. Jimmy mcmanus Is a safe option on the wing which I don't mind because rarely does he make a Mistake, but i tbink the modern day winger needs flare speed and strength to score tries he shouldn't be able to score aka uate, mamo, sione and Chanel....
Houston and falago are the least impactful players running around in the comp.... Yeah they make tackles but they are nothing tackles and their hit ups are absolute momentum killers and again in modern day footy you need guys who bend the line or provide footwork or offloading ability.... I'm not even going to start on tyrone roberts because that will make me angry but he does not deserve a spot anywhere near our first grade team for the rest of the season. My 17 for Cowboys game this Saturday is
1.gagai
2.mamo
3.sione
4.leilua
5.uate
6.mullen
7.feeney
8.snowden
9.randell
10.korbin
11.smith
12.tariq
13.gidley (he needs to be in starting 13 and will tackle to the death)
14.levi
15.stockwell
16.vaivai
17.tapine
 
There's something going around Twitter about Todd Carney on his way here. I don't think it has any credibility though.

6. Jarrod Mullen
7. Todd Carney

I wouldn't be against that if by some chance it was true
 
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