Round 11: Newcastle Knights vs Canterbury Bulldogs

What is your prediction for this game ??

  • Knights 13+

    Votes: 8 57.1%

  • Knights 1-12

    Votes: 3 21.4%

  • Draw

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • Bulldogs 1-12

    Votes: 2 14.3%

  • Bulldogs 13+

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    14
  • Poll closed .
Good teams (and even not good teams like the cows) have shown you can shut us down when the 5/8th isn't going to pass the ball.

Won't be an issue against the dogs though
 
I wouldnt mind either 1.Ponga 6.Crossland,
or 1.Hoy 6.Ponga.
But it would be good for the to have a preseason in those positions.
I think Hoy is a good fullback but not really a six.

Or this could be a game to test out one of those new combos.

The main concern would be the defense of Ponga or Crossland at 6. Mann has been defending very well there.
 
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Hoy's skillset is basically a bigger, younger version of Kurt Mann, without the 100 games of firstgrade experience.
Both are great utilities with a good running game and a few playmaking skills - but not many.
Hoy is young enough to develop his skills.
If we had reserve grade this year he'd be doing that right now.
 
Ak-47 said:
Top 4 teams win back to back, simple need to get some winning streaks going
Dont see the fuss in Hoy to be honest, the kid stepped up when needed which is good, but nothing special or worth getting into a bidding war if another club throws overs for him.
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Yep someone like the Titans, warriors ect will go silly buggers for him.
 
Kurriboy said:
Mann is a good player but it's still my opinion we need a proper 3rd playmaker in a traditional 5/8 role to attack left and right effectively, with Ponga chiming in when he sees an opportunity, or free him up to be the support player. A few times last game Fitz got hit the line and if a support player was streaming through with him, he could have got a ball away for a try. He was looking for someone, nobody there.
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Legit question out there, what top team has ever had 3 playmakers like people want?

Recent examples, Roosters only really had 1 in Cronk for the GF.
Storm have had 2 in Smith and again Cronk.
Manly only have 1 in DCE.
Panthers had 2 in Cleary and Maloney and now just Cleary.
Raiders have really none except for Hodgeson, and just bit players.

Ponga and Pearce are both guns, they have just been off and hopefully last week are back?

Too many play makers is a terribly idea and often 2 can be to many.
 
It seems like Everyone but some Knights supporters think Mann is playing very well , even being talked about for SOO because of how well he is going .
I wasn't a fan of him playing hooker but he is going well at 5/8 and as AOB said he knew he could be a good running 5/8 because of there time at Melbourne together.
Our trouble is that our 2 playmakers are a bit hot and cold at the moment , when they get it right we will be a force to be reckoned with . IMO its just those two holding us back a bit in attack right now .
Trouble is we see what they can do at there best and we know that with how the rest of the team is playing we could belt anyone if they were going well also, and they are paid to be our two main attacking weapons for the season at there best .
They are not paid for average but for there best .
1. Kalyn Ponga.. We know he can do better
2. Enari Tuala.. Going well for a guy that came here to play reserves
3. Tautau Moga.. A beast at his best has cost us though , i sometimes imagine how hard its been for him .
4. Bradman Best.. Playing great .
5. Hymel Hunt.. One of our best buys playing well always gives 100%
6. Kurt Mann.. imo playing well
7. Mitchell Pearce.. A bit hot and cold but can be brilliant
8. David Klemmer.. One of the 3 big $ guys who on his worst day still gives 100%
9. Andrew McCullough.. Playing well good D too
10. Jacob Saifiti.. Playing his best so far this season
11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon.. Playing well gives it everything
12. Aidan Guerra.. Playing well and seems to keep on keeping on
13. Herman Ese'ese.. Playing well pity he's going

14. Connor Watson.. Playing well and a bit like that Energizer bunny ( did i get that right lol)
15. Mitch Barnett.. In the old days he would have been one of the Bruise Brothers .
16. Pasami Saulo.. Playing well hope he kicks on
17. Sione Mata'utia.. Playing good footy especially in D
IMO all these guys are playing good footy and closer to there best than Pearce and Ponga. I love that we have Pearce and Ponga im a big fan of both ,but we need them playing a little better in attack.
 
I also think that it will be better again next season with Brailey back he looked good at 9 .
 
Mann is playing well, that is an objective fact. It's still going to cost us in the bigger games though. There's a lot of pressure on Pearce, teams can rush him. Ponga is gradually getting more involved in the kicking & stuff, but it can be to the detriment of him doing the stuff a fullback should like backing up the ball runner. Unless Ponga goes ballistic, the contenders will easily shut us down come finals time.
 
Joshhh said:
Mann is playing well, that is an objective fact. It's still going to cost us in the bigger games though. There's a lot of pressure on Pearce, teams can rush him. Ponga is gradually getting more involved in the kicking & stuff, but it can be to the detriment of him doing the stuff a fullback should like backing up the ball runner. Unless Ponga goes ballistic, the contenders will easily shut us down come finals time.
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Well then the other teams that have one or two playmakers we should be able to do the same too ..
 
Ethan said:
Well then the other teams that have one or two playmakers we should be able to do the same too ..
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I disagree, Mann is one the least playmaker style starting halves in the comp. He's a dangerous runner but rarely offers a second playmaking option like many other players in the comp.
 
Joshhh said:
I disagree, Mann is one the least playmaker style starting halves in the comp. He's a dangerous runner but rarely offers a second playmaking option like many other players in the comp.
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Maybe thats because he was put there as a running 5/8. Just the same as Joey and Freddy are saying about Bird to the dogs as a running 5/8 outside Foran.. Bird doesn't run like conventional players, he doesn't pass. He's very strong.
 
Joshhh said:
I disagree, Mann is one the least playmaker style starting halves in the comp. He's a dangerous runner but rarely offers a second playmaking option like many other players in the comp.
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Thats what the coach wanted a running 5/9 not a playmaker we have two other brilliant players to do the play making .
 
If the coach wanted another playmaker there he would have left Lino there hes a playmaker .
 
Ethan said:
If the coach wanted another playmaker there he would have left Lino there hes a playmaker .
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The argument is not about what the coach wanted, the argument is about whether it will cost us when it comes down the crunch. Having players playing well is awesome, but winning a premiership is what we all ultimately want.
 
Ethan said:
IMO all these guys are playing good footy and closer to there best than Pearce and Ponga. I love that we have Pearce and Ponga im a big fan of both ,but we need them playing a little better in attack.
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I think we're too harsh when people say things like they need to be dropped. In Ponga's little form slump, he was still as dangerous as any player in the comp, still creates opportunities, but because it didn't come off that time we call it a bad or average game. His average game is still miles above probably 90% of players. Pearce does have an off game sometimes but realistically he's still one the best halfbacks in the game, there's a couple, but not many halfbacks in the game you'd take over him. These 2 guys are super important to our team, they just need a bit of help.
 
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