Elimination Final - Knights V Raiders - Sunday 10 September 4:05pm - McDonald Jones Stadium

Match result


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  • Poll closed .
With his shoulder is there a big chance of getting something worse or is it more a pain thing?

I’d rather a busted Ponga than a fully fit Miller, so I’d be playing him.
High grade strain. I have no idea how tf anyone is reporting that he'll play 14 days after it happened. It's a 28 day minimum type of injury.

IF he plays, he'll be super concious of it. So we won't get the best of him. And wow it'll be sore after the game. His performance against the Warriors is likely to be worse than what he'd produce for the Raiders.

Starting him is a risk I wouldn't take. I'd have him on the bench if absolutely necessary
 
High grade strain. I have no idea how tf anyone is reporting that he'll play 14 days after it happened. It's a 28 day minimum type of injury.

IF he plays, he'll be super concious of it. So we won't get the best of him. And wow it'll be sore after the game. His performance against the Warriors is likely to be worse than what he'd produce for the Raiders.

Starting him is a risk I wouldn't take. I'd have him on the bench if absolutely necessary

There's minimal risk to further damage it, yes he will be in a lot of pain during the week. He can play needled up as many have done so before him and will be in crap load of pain after the game and the week after.

However it's finals time and you need your best players on the field, unfortunately for KP the further we go into the finals he is going to have to manage the pain.

I think he is mentally strong and will push through.
 
There's minimal risk to further damage it, yes he will be in a lot of pain during the week. He can play needled up as many have done so before him and will be in crap load of pain after the game and the week after.
I want him to play as much as the next person. But it's definitely not true that there's minimal risk to further injury. Any impact on the shoulder in any direction will likely make it worse. I think what they mean is that he's not likely to sustain further tissue tear, but tissue inflammation is also a huge concern because it contributes to the length of time required for recovery. And that's a very irritable joint because it's kinda always moving slightly.

I'd say he'll start from the bench at best. Because I just can't see how he'd play if I'm honest. Currently he'd have a hard time using his right arm for cooking.
 
Ponga plays or sits out, if on bench and assuming we play Mann or Brown as hooker etc cover leaves only two spots for a Saf, Croker, Hetherington or Lucas. A fwd goes down early we are in trouble
 
I think possibly the biggest implication of Ponga's injury is that now we have a stronger argument to justify disrupting the usual lineup by taking Lucas on the bench.

While Mann is a theoretically good backs utility by covering 1-7, in the eventuality that Ponga does have to leave the field Gagai will be the one to go to fullback. In that case I'd currently be more confident in Lucas' ability to cover the centres than I would Mann.
 
I’d have Lucas on the bench. I think the biggest worry is Hastings. Took him 3-4 months this season to loosen up, he said as much himself. It was a terrible injury and hard to regain confidence in contact. This will be the biggest game of his NRL career and it’ll be tough for him to pick up where he left off.
 
From training today. A more convincing action shot than the one from a few weeks ago for Hastings but Ponga's doesn't give anything away.

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I think possibly the biggest implication of Ponga's injury is that now we have a stronger argument to justify disrupting the usual lineup by taking Lucas on the bench.

While Mann is a theoretically good backs utility by covering 1-7, in the eventuality that Ponga does have to leave the field Gagai will be the one to go to fullback. In that case I'd currently be more confident in Lucas' ability to cover the centres than I would Mann.
given gags is gunna have to most likely handle their most dangerous player in wighton id be very reluctant making changes on that edge. mann to do a job at fb if needed? been done before.
 
given gags is gunna have to most likely handle their most dangerous player in wighton id be very reluctant making changes on that edge. mann to do a job at fb if needed? been done before.
Very fair point about Wighton, but I'd question whether Mann has every done a job in the way that he'd be required to do at fullback in our current team.

Was basing such a projected move off our tendency to go that way so far this year when KP has come off mid-game. Gags has done a couple of stints at the back while from memory I think Mann may have only gone there once all season.
 
Not sure why everyones so off miller. If kp doesnt play hes the next best option. Wouldnt wanna move gags marking up against jack. Yea miller wasnt fantastic against dragons but he also hasnt played first grade in months let alone much cup recently due to injury, also helped us beat raiders earlier in the year without kp, young, saifiti and elliot. Mann is not the option if kp isnt fit.
 
Not sure why everyones so off miller. If kp doesnt play hes the next best option. Wouldnt wanna move gags marking up against jack. Yea miller wasnt fantastic against dragons but he also hasnt played first grade in months let alone much cup recently due to injury, also helped us beat raiders earlier in the year without kp, young, saifiti and elliot. Mann is not the option if kp isnt fit.
Totally, talk of Mann playing fullback makes me really nervous! Miller will get the job done.
 
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