ROUND 1 - Knights V Warriors - Friday 3 March, 6:00pm - Sky Stadium, Wellington

apple.news

Newcastle coach takes aim at NRL bunker over late Ponga HIA call — 9Wide World of Sports

Newcastle star Kalyn Ponga was left in a state of disbelief when he was taken from the field for a HIA in the dying stages of his side's clash against the Warriors, with his coach accusing the bunker of "jumping at shadows."
apple.news apple.news

This nine articles talks about Ponga HIA. When I watching it live, I was blowing up. He looked fine to me. Yeah he got hit the head. But, if the off field doctor thought he was concussed, why can’t they do an on-field assessment??

You could clearly see he was fine. And the on field assessment he would have passed and play on. It was at a super crucial time. We had the ball in the attacking zone and how best attacking player gets sent from the field. ****ed circumstance if you ask me.

But we still did play very average.
 
The whole point of the independent doctor is that they're not going to take into account the stage of the game or how important the player is.

Not like a club trainer who would keep their star player out there if they thought they were Santa Claus, or are lightning quick to take a forward off for a HIA when they're due to rotate to the bench etc.

He met the criteria for being taken off, that's the end of it.
 
Sarge said:
Is the independent Dr even at the ground ? Thought I read somewhere the just watch in
On TV?
Click to expand...

This I would like to know also. The bunker is not at the ground and from what I know is located at NRL HQ, so I am thinking the independant Dr is right there in the bunker?

On the TV coverage, you could clearly see Ponga take a hip to the head going for the ball, then roll away and lay face down holding his head with both hands. If that is what the Doc is seeing in the bunker, and no doubt reviews it from the many angles available from the bunker, you can see why he made the call.

Interesting though, that even OB doesn't know how the system works, and where they are!
 
Thoughts from the game

  • Adam Elliot was severely underdone
  • Hetherington was moderately underdone
  • We desperately need another prop and back rower
  • Saifitis should only be on, one at a time. They're too slow and lazy and it costs us massively in flow on effects.
  • Our discipline was horrific.
  • Bench needs to be 2 genuine front rowers, genuine back row and 14. Either Kurtmann or Crossland. Both CAN NOT BE IN THE SQUAD
  • Kurt mann uses good footwork to cut back inside and get over the advantage line however he never generates quick play the ball off this. His passes are also a fraction behind the receiver as well which kills all momentum spreading it wide. Quick play the ball is the name of the game in this day and age. He shouldn’t get a run
  • The commentators didn’t mention the wind at all. I thought it obviously ****ed us running into it the first half and we never recovered
  • Ponga looked really good for his first game at 6
  • Ponga and AOB are ****ing idiots for questioning why he got taken off. He got head contact and stayed down. The whole point of the independent process was put on display. No way AOB takes ponga off then if its up to him.
  • Bradman is not what everyone thought he grow to be. He tries to play like a front rower out at center just running dead straight and acting like a battering ram, its brave but ineffective and stupid. I'd honestly drop him for Lucas and tell him he needs to work on late footwork and touch the ball 20 times per game in reggies.
  • Hunt had a mixed game, I would persist with him
  • Tuala was invisibile - drop him as soon as possible
  • Dom Young showed why he's not worth over 450k, yes we didn’t go to his side nearly enough, but he had a few bad misses and positional errors.
  • Hastings looked like he was running in mud lol, I thought he was decent enough and struggled with the strong wind. Not judging the spine too much in round 1.
 
He's just been found out as a one trick pony, the scouting report says get up in his face asap because he's not going to try and beat you any other way than running straight over you.

Up to him and the coaches to find a few new tricks.
 
slotmachine said:
He's just been found out as a one trick pony, the scouting report says get up in his face asap because he's not going to try and beat you any other way than running straight over you.

Up to him and the coaches to find a few new tricks.
Click to expand...
Yep that’s why he needs to go to Reggie’s and work on that and that alone, idk if Lucas is up to replacing him though.

Actually that and his defense and errors and almost everyone other aspect of the game
 
Kickitoverhere said:
Yep that’s why he needs to go to Reggie’s and work on that and that alone, idk if Lucas is up to replacing him though.

Actually that and his defense and errors and almost everyone other aspect of the game
Click to expand...
Exactly what he needs , Still living on his reputation as a kid. Always the biggest fastest player in the team , everyone telling him how good he was . Needs an attitude adjustment & a spell in reggies . Although strikes me as the type that would spit it & request a transfer. See ya!
 
slotmachine said:
He's just been found out as a one trick pony, the scouting report says get up in his face asap because he's not going to try and beat you any other way than running straight over you.

Up to him and the coaches to find a few new tricks.
Click to expand...
I just don’t agree with this:


Earlier ball, off a longer run.

Last night was all at the line.
 
Try 3 here: offload, early ball wide, Braddy sees Lomax ahead of him, pretty decent physical specimen himself, and burns him.


He’s not a smart kid, I’ve heard him speak, but I really think he’s grasped “run around big man, run over small man”. But every touch he had last night was very close to the line or yardage work. Would that be his choice, do you think? If you asked him “hey would you like some nice early ball, a chance to show us what you’ve got?” would he say “nah I’m all good, crash-ball role player it is”.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top