NRL Round 23 - Knights Vs Panthers - 6:00pm Friday 8th August - McDonald Jones Stadium

Thanks Harv, I just did a comparison with Harry Grant. He played 1 game in seasons 2018 (aged 20 season) and 2019 (aged 21 season) before going on loan in 2020 then when back at the storm mostly came off the bench in 2021. Obviously the two key differences are the Storm are always in contention for premierships so don’t have low stakes games like the Knights have now plus had the best hooker of all time to learn behind early. However, Brailey is still a good first grader and no doubt ahead of him at this stage. Seems like the club are doing the right thing not just picking him in First Grade for the sake of things?
Yep I reckon so. I think it sends the wrong message if he just gets handed the jersey. I'm convinced he'll get it on merit in the years to come.
 
I’d like to see this

1 Gagai
2 Schiller
3 Hunt
4 Best if fit
5 Young
6 Jake Arthur
7 Cogger
8 L Thompson
9 Brailey, 50 minutes
10 J Safiti
11 McEwan
12 KPP
13 Crossland

14 Matt Arthur, play 30 minutes
15 Frizell
16 Croker
17 ESL
18 Hastings

I’d drop:
McCarthy - some bad miss tackles today and I thought he was found out on a few effort areas that he will need to improve on going forward. Get him to work on it in reserves

Gamble - he was bad today, defence and his kicking weren’t great. It may be due to his injuries this season, but to me as time goes on, 2023 was an aberration in his career. He is an average player that would be best as a great reserve grader who can fill in on the odd occasion during the season

Marzhew - he is a liability under the high ball and is being targeted. His drops on kicks are really costly, the teams heads drop, we have to defend more than we should and our energy and confidence dwindles
Your named team is almost spot on.

Be interesting to see how Arthur goes.
 
Like most, I like Gamble's competitiveness. I can see him being a useful 14, but otherwise, IDK where the Gamble the Saviour narrative came from. Would not be in FG at most clubs.

It will be interesting if Marz gets effectively targeted again, given it's an issue everyone can see, but AOB doesn't seem to be able to solve, despite probably needing a run of results to save his job.
 
IDK where the Gamble the Saviour narrative came from.
Haven't seen anyone have this "narrative" at all. Some, including me, see him as the best of a bad lot of options. Has been a standout half in the past, when the team was travelling well. Was first choice halfback to start this year with Sharpe before injury intervened. Haven't seen anyone claim he's going to come in and completely transform the fortunes of the team or anything like that.

He played plenty of first grade at the Broncos before coming here.
 
Anecdotally, Cogger feels a very ‘boring’ option at 7. Again, anecdotally, there’s little risk to his play. Which is fine, and this season, I actually don’t think he has been too bad .

Gamble in previous years was that spark of enthusiasm and willingness to try and play like a half and and take some risks and play with a bit more ‘creativity’ if we can call it that.

Coming into this season, it seemed like a no brainer that Gamble would be starting 7 with Sharpe. Seemingly, Gamble ticked all the boxes in preseason and based on what we had heard, that was going to be the case. So I think a lot bought into the idea that Gamble was our top 7 option and excited to see him build on his previous performances with us.


Now for whatever reason, injuries, confidence, playing in cup, he just hasn’t really had a chance and when he has, has looked a bit out of place. Whether that’s just an early season disruption that really messed things up or not, we probably won’t know.

His performances this year, have been average. And even by all accounts his NSW Cup form hasn’t really been lighting the world on fire.

Hopefully with a preseason to freshen up, he can get back to his best form and see where that lands in our squad.

But I’m more than happy to see Arthur given a crack if there’s any possibility we sign him up for next year.
 
Define plenty, before joining us he never played a round 1 game, he never played over 13 games in a year.

Now let’s look into his games for the Broncos did he come in when there was an injury? that inflates things.
Plenty = in first grade, when I was replying to someone who said he wouldn’t be in first grade at most other clubs.
 
I'm sure it is, that wasn't the point I was making. Which, like Wicket, was not understanding the level of support for a player who would struggle to make FG at most other clubs and who has been poor in limited opportunities this season. IDK why the comment is controversial.
 
I'm sure it is, that wasn't the point I was making. Which, like Wicket, was not understanding the level of support for a player who would struggle to make FG at most other clubs and who has been poor in limited opportunities this season. IDK why the comment is controversial.
What’s controversial? Some people like him as a player. It’s not that hard to understand.
 
IDK how offering a differing opinion is an attack on people who like Gamble just because I questioned the folklore that seems to have evolved around him.

I was essentially agreeing with Wicket whilst pointing out that his competitiveness is a trait to be admired and that he could still be a useful 14. I'm not alone in thinking he'd struggle to make FG anywhere else rn.
 
It's fun to hype up battlers who have a bit of character and personality about them. Unfashionable players. It's kind of like having huge affection for the Rossdog or (insert name of no-nonsense tacklebot lock forward here).
 
IDK how offering a differing opinion is an attack on people who like Gamble just because I questioned the folklore that seems to have evolved around him.

I was essentially agreeing with Wicket whilst pointing out that his competitiveness is a trait to be admired and that he could still be a useful 14. I'm not alone in thinking he'd struggle to make FG anywhere else rn.
Who’s saying you attacked anyone? You just keep throwing out these accusations, no idea why.

You initially said there was a savior narrative around him, I just said I didn’t see anyone going to that extent and provided a few of his positive attributes as to why some people are fans of his. There’s no need for all this drama lol. Chill!
 
Some broncos supporters were saying Gamblor became injured by carrying your team on his shoulders, people call him Lord Gamble etc. I agree a lot of these terminology/meme names for him are strange considering his ability.
I always thought ‘Lord Gamble’ is appropriate nick name seeing as Tyson plays for the knights. The peasants didn’t become knights it was the nobility like lords who did.

I first started really noticing the ‘Lord Gamble’ references most when he was playing his best footy in 2023 and was a noticeable player in that win streak.
 
I always thought ‘Lord Gamble’ is appropriate nick name seeing as Tyson plays for the knights. The peasants didn’t become knights it was the nobility like lords who did.

I first started really noticing the ‘Lord Gamble’ references most when he was playing his best footy in 2023 and was a noticeable player in that win streak.
We already have a Lord on this forum, that’s the only problem. @Grandpa Joe - Prev Lord
 
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