NRL Round 1 - Knights Vs Cowboys - 1:15pm Sunday 1st March (AEDT) - Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

Holbrook no doubt knows who is 7 and 6 will be. But he is hardly going to come out and say it.

He is doing what coaches should do and fostering competition between players for spots. Plus there could be a training injury or anything before he HAS to name the squad so keep you cards close until you need to reveal them.

Say he names Smith and Brown as the halves, sorry Sharpy you on the wing, then next session Smith picks up a niggle that keeps him out. This way he could go with Sharpy and play it like it was always going to be Sharp and make Smith work it harder to get the spot.

Pretty obviously it will be Smith and Brown in the halves. I'd be gobsmacked if it were any other combination.
 
Holbrook is just as big a wanchor as I assumed from my brief meeting. He thinks media doesn't know or fans have not a clue. Sorry brother you're delusional. It's going to be hard to plan for any spine combination because 2 of 4 are NEW players. No point trying to hide behind a simple question.
 
Kurriboy said:
Holbrook no doubt knows who is 7 and 6 will be. But he is hardly going to come out and say it.

He is doing what coaches should do and fostering competition between players for spots. Plus there could be a training injury or anything before he HAS to name the squad so keep you cards close until you need to reveal them.

Say he names Smith and Brown as the halves, sorry Sharpy you on the wing, then next session Smith picks up a niggle that keeps him out. This way he could go with Sharpy and play it like it was always going to be Sharp and make Smith work it harder to get the spot.

Pretty obviously it will be Smith and Brown in the halves. I'd be gobsmacked if it were any other combination.
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Counterpoint, certainty and competence from the coach breed confidence and security within the players. Uncertainty looks like 2025.

Think this team / club has had enough of nobody knowing their job or their role from week to week.

It’s just over a week out from the game. The players should know where they’re intended to play. Yes if any injury occurs they know they’re may need to be changes.

Shapre’s a big boy, if he hasn’t made the halves spot he should know exactly where he is playing instead. Everyone should. They’ve had all bloody Summer to compete for spots, that’s what the pre-seasons for. That’s over now. They should have their answers.

As for keeping things quiet. Only Knights fans really care and I think they deserve some answers after the dross they’ve had to see it through.

Who cares if the Cowboys find out who our halves are. We know who theirs are.

After those two trial performances, I’m be more focused on ensuring everyone knows their position, role, and how to catch and pass, rather than worrying about keeping our halves a secret. Because frankly, if they dish up anything like Saturday’s performance in Vegas, they deserve everything they get
 
I know it seems counterintuitive but I think they are keeping it quiet to keep the pressure off the players and on the club/holbrook. They would 💯 know who is playing and where.

I get the feeling last weeks line up was to see how Brown goes as a primary playmaker. I reckon Sandon will be the 14.
 
I'd be surprised if the players don't know where they're playing. No point JH giving the Cows any info, even if it doesn't change how they prepare.

Thought it was a really nice touch by the club to add D'Acre as a non-playing member of the touring squad. I'm assuming his family will be travelling down to Vegas.

Edit: Just about to post this when @Tackleslikeagirl posted something similar above.

PS. This season I'm going to try to keep in mind that JH inherited a dispirited mess off the back of a spoon, he had no clear spine, a skinny/inexperienced forward pack and a star player who has had a limited preseason. It's going to take a while.

That said, I hope they improve their attitude and hang on to the ball and give themselves a chance in Vegas. Otherwise, the Cows are going to put on a clinic.
 
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I think given there is no obvious Hooker cover in the travelling squad, I am going to assume it’s Brown and Sharpe in the halves with Smith in 14 as the utility.
 
Newygirl said:
Brown said he assumed he and Smith would be the halves.

If Sharpe is first choice why was he supposed to line up at fullback against the Bulldogs?
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I assume because Ponga was not playing and that is the strongest line up and how they’ll play when his out of the side. It’s just my read from the squad, I think they’re going to want to spell Crossland and use him at lock so it makes the most sense (to me) that Smith will then play hooker.
 
Newygirl said:
Brown said he assumed he and Smith would be the halves.

If Sharpe is first choice why was he supposed to line up at fullback against the Bulldogs?
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Numbers on there backs aside i reckon pongas going to be ball playing/1st man in shape on the left and brown on the right and sharpe playing off both off these guys. Its the only reason you
1. Move a guy like brown to his weaker side
2. Ask sharpe to lineup in the trial at fullback.
3. Take no backup 9/ utility to vegas meaning sandon smith will play that role.

Its the only way i make any sense of what looks like abit of a ****show currently.
 
Seano said:
I'd be surprised if the players don't know where they're playing. No point JH giving the Cows any info,
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Well why have people who have watched them train, seen everyone here there and every where? Like literally players don't seem to know who will be there.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Holbrook hasn't decided yet which is disastrous or he is overcomplicating things and will change things up mid game.
 
EASBay17 said:
Numbers on there backs aside i reckon pongas going to be ball playing/1st man in shape on the left and brown on the right and sharpe playing off both off these guys. Its the only reason you
1. Move a guy like brown to his weaker side
2. Ask sharpe to lineup in the trial at fullback.
3. Take no backup 9/ utility to vegas meaning sandon smith will play that role.

Its the only way i make any sense of what looks like abit of a ****show currently.
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Sounds like a ****show in future too.
 
Not sure I’m convinced about the theory that Holbrook has unlocked the key to premiership glory which is not telling anyone who will be our starting halves.

He said himself he’d decide in the first week of pre-season how it would all work and spend the rest of the time working on those combinations. Ok, Ponga’s injury hasn’t helped, but we’re days out from the season opener and it all still seems up in the air, to me.
 
Newygirl said:
Because frankly, if they dish up anything like Saturday’s performance in Vegas, they deserve everything they get
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Honestly this is all I care about. The coach can be a flog, broadcast the team list, or keep it quiet. None of which I care about really in the slightest.

In the off seasons I barely post as it's all just speculation and we have no idea of anything. I rather post about what does happen, what we look like in an NRL game, not a trial.

Every year we trial badly, well most years, I'm just not paying any attention to it. Pre-trial game on DB Holbrook said he just wants him to have a run, nothing flash save that for when it matters. I doubt Holbrook cares about the trial games other than getting through them without injuries.

I'll worry about what we do in Vegas and then after a few rounds of NRL.
 
Tackleslikeagirl said:
I know it seems counterintuitive but I think they are keeping it quiet to keep the pressure off the players and on the club/holbrook. They would 💯 know who is playing and where.

I get the feeling last weeks line up was to see how Brown goes as a primary playmaker. I reckon Sandon will be the 14.
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Totally agree. At the very latest positions would've been made clear following the 2nd trial match. That's consistent with Brown's public statements re he and Smith being the halves.

Everyone bought into the 'Sharpe might play 7' chat despite Sharpe neither training or trialling in that position.

I'd say Holbrook knew more or less who was playing where the day he signed with the club, just like every other fan who had their own view as to who should play where. Playing Brown on the left (as a halfback and leading playmaker) in the last trial was, imo, just an experiment to blow the cobwebs off Brown and prime him for before round 1
 
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