NRL Round 6 - Tigers Vs Knights - 4:05pm Sunday, 12th April - Campbelltown Sports Stadium
- Thread starter Lefty
- Start date
Les Misérables
Adam Woolnough
Cant turns 25 midway through next season.
He isn't an emerging talent. Or a guy who never got his shot or was plagued by injury like a Jesse Colquhoun.
He gives effort. Leg speed. Good talk. There's strong intent and energy about the way he plays. But that's kinda where it ends
He isn't an emerging talent. Or a guy who never got his shot or was plagued by injury like a Jesse Colquhoun.
He gives effort. Leg speed. Good talk. There's strong intent and energy about the way he plays. But that's kinda where it ends
Hard Yards
Adrian Bubb
He reminds me a bit of Billy Peden. Same style of no frills , hard working middle, with a bit more size and pace than Bill, but lacking Bills ball playing ability and offloads. Probably needs to be able to play 60 minutes per game and work on ball playing in Reggies to build a resumè and get off the bench in firsts.
Agree Cant is starting because he is the safest option right now. He is the most experienced and would be the best performer out of all the options over 80 minutes at the moment. None of the other guys have the motor or experience yet.
Disagree that that ESL, Hopwood and Manuleleua are comparable to cant by saying they are only "beating down the door at that level, yes more than Esl and Hopwood". Considering cant is a second row / lock, similar to ESL and Manu, let's compare them. I'd argue ESL and Manu are bigger, stronger, faster, with better ball skills, better vision, hit harder in D, basically have much higher ceilings than Cant in every way. Outside of metrics not yet visible (think mental not physical, which I think we need to see in first grade before we know), ESL and Manu are physically superior in every way, yet id agree not quite ready yet. Basically Harvey, they will help us score more tries
Im not a big believer in individual stats in team games, so before anyone come at me with that, ive seen them all play and its clear as day....Not having a crack btw Harvee, love your insights and feel the love for the knights you have, which is why we are all here right? I just think we are all underselling our next crop of juniors when I believe they are part of our bright immediate future. I think we should be excited because we are approaching a premiership window in the next few years. Hopwood, ESL and Manu are what raises our teams "floor", by replacing cant, croker and Saulo with young future guns in our best 17. The type of squad you reminisce about in future years wondering how the 2027/8 knights managed to have such a stacked line up. The spine of ponga, brown, Sharpe and crossland / sandon off the bench is what's raising our ceiling to compete with the elite teams in the comp come semi-final time IMO. I can honestly see that spine competing with the Panthers, bronocos and storm. Add in best, young, Lucas, Safiti, Mooney, Mcewen and we are be a stacked team with some depth (guys like cant and croker are now nsw cup back up, hola crouch look ready, and the next crop of juniors such as toby winter, seve, hagan arent too far away either).
I know I sound ridiculously optimistic about these guys, and believe me im not normally a person who froths on juniors (looking at you with so much love Billy), but these guys are special. They just look like winners to me, POS is a genius, he has turned this roster around in a few years... and we are about to reap the benefits
Treadly
Todd Bates
Exactly, better prospects, soon, just not right now. Maybe ESL/manu get a big role come games like the dragons, when we can afford to try bidding them as starters etc. But for the next 3 weeks, we need experience. That is unless the young guys come on for their cameo and brain it. But we haven't seen that just yet.
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Hola only plays short minutes, but he goes pretty hard and has good footwork at the line.
I could imagine Croker doing 80 minutes at second row, Hola doing a few short stints at lock, and Crossland and Graham both doing long minutes.
If you are looking for a way to not use Cant that is.
I could imagine Croker doing 80 minutes at second row, Hola doing a few short stints at lock, and Crossland and Graham both doing long minutes.
If you are looking for a way to not use Cant that is.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
I know numbers aren’t everything, but by every statistical metric you might point to, run metres, tackles, etc, Cant’s most recent play at Cup level clears both Hopwood and ESL at that level. That’s all I was saying there.Agree Cant is starting because he is the safest option right now. He is the most experienced and would be the best performer out of all the options over 80 minutes at the moment. None of the other guys have the motor or experience yet.
Disagree that that ESL, Hopwood and Manuleleua are comparable to cant by saying they are only "beating down the door at that level, yes more than Esl and Hopwood". Considering cant is a second row / lock, similar to ESL and Manu, let's compare them. I'd argue ESL and Manu are bigger, stronger, faster, with better ball skills, better vision, hit harder in D, basically have much higher ceilings than Cant in every way. Outside of metrics not yet visible (think mental not physical, which I think we need to see in first grade before we know), ESL and Manu are physically superior in every way, yet id agree not quite ready yet. Basically Harvey, they will help us score more tries
Not having a crack btw Harvee, love your insights and feel the love for the knights you have, which is why we are all here right? I just think we are all underselling our next crop of juniors when I believe they are part of our bright immediate future. I think we should be excited because we are approaching a premiership window in the next few years. Hopwood, ESL and Manu are what raises our teams "floor", by replacing cant, croker and Saulo with young future guns in our best 17. The type of squad you reminisce about in future years wondering how the 2027/8 knights managed to have such a stacked line up. The spine of ponga, brown, Sharpe and crossland / sandon off the bench is what's raising our ceiling to compete with the elite teams in the comp come semi-final time IMO. I can honestly see that spine competing with the Panthers, bronocos and storm. Add in best, young, Lucas, Safiti, Mooney, Mcewen and we are be a stacked team with some depth (guys like cant and croker are now nsw cup back up, hola crouch look ready, and the next crop of juniors such as toby winter, seve, hagan arent too far away either).
I know I sound ridiculously optimistic about these guys, and believe me im not normally a person who froths on juniors (looking at you with so much love Billy), but these guys are special. They just look like winners to me, POS is a genius, he has turned this roster around in a few years... and we are about to reap the benefits
Doesn’t mean Cant will go on to be a better first grader, in fact I doubt he will, but I was specifically referring to people arguing that Hopwood, ESL etc have been so dominant in Cup that it’s unjust to leave them out. But if you’re basing selection on how well they’ve gone in Cup, Cant should be above them in the pecking order.
Less Miserable
Why couldn't you say Cant is 23 and as a forward his potential will be reached in 5 years when he turns 28 like most forwards.
Give the kid a break. He has a go and has great work ethic.
Grandpa Joe
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Similar was said for Croker and he’s going great now. Hopefully he follows the same path, he’s certainly got the heart, hopefully he keeps improving with the chances he gets
I was convinced that Croker was rubbish last 2-3 years now his becoming one of my favourites.
KPGreatness
Steve Walters
We really need to stop comparing cross positions, comparing Hopwoods stats with Cant is a joke, one is a prop and the other is a second rower.
Cross position comparison won’t give any form of accuracy at all, otherwise you can say “how does Cant compare with Sandon Smith, KP, Sharpe?” I suppose it can be used to push and agenda but if anyone sees a cross position comparison they should immediately pay it no mind.
if you wish to compare, compare Cant with Manu, McEwen, Kepaoa, even ESL has been playing much more lock than second rower recently, it looks like this year ESL has kicked on, it’s hard to compare form this year when Cant has had little to no time in cup this year so people revert to recent years in which their case is instantly moot as people developed year on year and might be better this year than they were last and so on.
I don’t hate Cant in fact I was defending him in the pre-season just don’t see the reason why people like to cross position compare unless they can actually play the position the other does and even then it has to be taken with a grain of salt and looked into a lot more.
Cross position comparison won’t give any form of accuracy at all, otherwise you can say “how does Cant compare with Sandon Smith, KP, Sharpe?” I suppose it can be used to push and agenda but if anyone sees a cross position comparison they should immediately pay it no mind.
if you wish to compare, compare Cant with Manu, McEwen, Kepaoa, even ESL has been playing much more lock than second rower recently, it looks like this year ESL has kicked on, it’s hard to compare form this year when Cant has had little to no time in cup this year so people revert to recent years in which their case is instantly moot as people developed year on year and might be better this year than they were last and so on.
I don’t hate Cant in fact I was defending him in the pre-season just don’t see the reason why people like to cross position compare unless they can actually play the position the other does and even then it has to be taken with a grain of salt and looked into a lot more.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
All of Cant's NSW Cup games I'm referring to from 2025 were at lock.
Les Misérables
Adam Woolnough
Tbf i wrapped him for his strengths. I just don't think we'll get to where we want to get to if we're relying on Cant to 'continue to develop' when the guy will be 25 by next season
frankLauda
Steve Simpson
The forgotten man!
I don’t think Can’t gets the time on the field to show his strengths. This period with Lucas out is a great chance for him. I’m not expecting game breaking plays but I’m keen for him to get the regular opportunity. Game breakers like Manu and Elijah will get there chance, no need to rush them though.
mozza
Game on broheim
IDK about Les Mis but me not rating a player is a sign he’s going to be a superstar.
Still remember watching NSW Cup in 2021 and thinking Jacob Kiraz was one of the worst players I’ve seen. Also thought Riley Jones was headed for immortality at one stage.
So when Cant plays Origin you’ll have me to thank.
Still remember watching NSW Cup in 2021 and thinking Jacob Kiraz was one of the worst players I’ve seen. Also thought Riley Jones was headed for immortality at one stage.
So when Cant plays Origin you’ll have me to thank.
slotmachine
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
He'll be ready to take the x-factors origin jersey in a few years time
Yet and there is my point. The kids is 23 i dont know why you want to try and make him sound older. He is 23 it is pretty simple and he is learning about the NRL and what it takes to be good in this game.
How right you are Jar Head.Agree Cant is starting because he is the safest option right now. He is the most experienced and would be the best performer out of all the options over 80 minutes at the moment. None of the other guys have the motor or experience yet.
Disagree that that ESL, Hopwood and Manuleleua are comparable to cant by saying they are only "beating down the door at that level, yes more than Esl and Hopwood". Considering cant is a second row / lock, similar to ESL and Manu, let's compare them. I'd argue ESL and Manu are bigger, stronger, faster, with better ball skills, better vision, hit harder in D, basically have much higher ceilings than Cant in every way. Outside of metrics not yet visible (think mental not physical, which I think we need to see in first grade before we know), ESL and Manu are physically superior in every way, yet id agree not quite ready yet. Basically Harvey, they will help us score more tries
Not having a crack btw Harvee, love your insights and feel the love for the knights you have, which is why we are all here right? I just think we are all underselling our next crop of juniors when I believe they are part of our bright immediate future. I think we should be excited because we are approaching a premiership window in the next few years. Hopwood, ESL and Manu are what raises our teams "floor", by replacing cant, croker and Saulo with young future guns in our best 17. The type of squad you reminisce about in future years wondering how the 2027/8 knights managed to have such a stacked line up. The spine of ponga, brown, Sharpe and crossland / sandon off the bench is what's raising our ceiling to compete with the elite teams in the comp come semi-final time IMO. I can honestly see that spine competing with the Panthers, bronocos and storm. Add in best, young, Lucas, Safiti, Mooney, Mcewen and we are be a stacked team with some depth (guys like cant and croker are now nsw cup back up, hola crouch look ready, and the next crop of juniors such as toby winter, seve, hagan arent too far away either).
I know I sound ridiculously optimistic about these guys, and believe me im not normally a person who froths on juniors (looking at you with so much love Billy), but these guys are special. They just look like winners to me, POS is a genius, he has turned this roster around in a few years... and we are about to reap the benefits
We are getting closer every week. The Knights are so close to the top we dare to dream we can do it. Last year we just missed a few wins by a couple of points. This year we are so much better. That game at 4 pines showed us so much. The tigers game I have watched that easy 5 times to see what was our weakness. Those 3 penalties in the first 15 cruelled us they were soft as. Those tigers took a dive which resulted in a penalty against us. We just didn't get the bounce and the lads kept trying. I thought we kept fighting and wanted to do better, we have a good group of lads and we will do well this year.
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Coaches love Cant because of how hard he works to get where he is.
When he captained Flegg to a grandfinal he pretty much had to convince the club to give him a firstgrade pre-season and he famously just kept training by himself from grandfinal day and showed up as fit as he could on day one of training.
From what I hear, he trains every day, 365 days a year.
He is clearly bigger and better than last year, and all that work has to tell in the end.
Dylan Lucas and Mat Croker both worked really hard to break into the side at 23.
Tom Cant has worked even harder.
He isn't big, or fast, or skillful, but no one has worked harder.
I remember he was trying to learn to be a hooker in the pre-season, so he'll literally try anything to get on the field.
When he captained Flegg to a grandfinal he pretty much had to convince the club to give him a firstgrade pre-season and he famously just kept training by himself from grandfinal day and showed up as fit as he could on day one of training.
From what I hear, he trains every day, 365 days a year.
He is clearly bigger and better than last year, and all that work has to tell in the end.
Dylan Lucas and Mat Croker both worked really hard to break into the side at 23.
Tom Cant has worked even harder.
He isn't big, or fast, or skillful, but no one has worked harder.
I remember he was trying to learn to be a hooker in the pre-season, so he'll literally try anything to get on the field.