2023 Preseason thread.

Jones seems to have failed in crucial areas of his development mostly because of injury. And he's probably been a victim of his versatility as its prevented him from excelling in one role. I'm surprised at his age, where the hell did 5 years go.
 
www.newcastleherald.com.au

Newcastle Knights coach Adam O'Brien reaches a pivotal point

MIDWAY through last NRL season, amid mounting media speculation about the prospect of Kalyn Ponga switching to five-eighth,...
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Article where Robert Dillon (reporter) talks about all the conversations he's had with O'Brien about Ponga moving to 5/8, and says O'Brien has never been keen.
He also makes the interesting claim that last time Ponga moved to 5/8 it was at his request so that his mate Connor Watson could play fullback.
He says that O'Brien is now apparently going that way, despite always being against it and us having no credible fullback options.
 
Billy said:
www.newcastleherald.com.au

Newcastle Knights coach Adam O'Brien reaches a pivotal point

MIDWAY through last NRL season, amid mounting media speculation about the prospect of Kalyn Ponga switching to five-eighth,...
www.newcastleherald.com.au www.newcastleherald.com.au

Article where Robert Dillon (reporter) talks about all the conversations he's had with O'Brien about Ponga moving to 5/8, and says O'Brien has never been keen.
He also makes the interesting claim that last time Ponga moved to 5/8 it was at his request so that his mate Connor Watson could play fullback.
He says that O'Brien is now apparently going that way, despite always being against it and us having no credible fullback options.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking the Ponga move might be an Andrew Johns idea.

But, O'Brien always being against it. He must enjoy unemployment.

Firstly, if the move was Ponga's idea so that Connor could play fullback, and Brown let it happen for that reason no wonder it didn't work. Given the team at the time and how badly they were going, to throw him in to 5/8 for the reason to elevate his mate is extremely poor.

Then O'Brien being against it now, is a real worry. Already setting out with the coach against it, either be all in or don't do it at all.

Hastings needs a competent creative 5/8. In our team only one player offers up the attacking threat required and that is Ponga. Fullback is important but can be covered by Gagai or Miller if we get him if our esteemed Nostrilarmpit is right.

I don't know how long we can keep doing the same thing and expect results to change. Leaving Ponga a fullback and saddling a half with a makeshift 5/8 is done to death by now.
 
slotmachine said:
Maybe O'Brien thinks a Hastings/Gamble halves pairing would see him sacked (correct) so needs to roll the dice, even if he doesn't like it.
Click to expand...

While I like both Hastings and Gamle as players im not sure they would work together in the halfs.

Both gritty both try very hard, but think we need a 5/8 with a bit more flair hence Ponga moving to 5/8 but like obrien am not sure if i like it. Guess we will have to wait and see how it pans out
 
OBrien gives me the shlts. Wasting crucial years of players career's refusing to change things that clearly don't work. Ponga at fullback (in last years roster) didn't bloody work. And it hasn't since Brown was here, tbf.

There are 14 year old school kids who've repeated a grade to whom it is obvious that playing Ponga at fullback last year was idiotic when our halves pairing consisted of two players no better than Jaelen Feeney.
 
Les Misérables said:
OBrien gives me the shlts. Wasting crucial years of players career's refusing to change things that clearly don't work. Ponga at fullback (in last years roster) didn't bloody work. And it hasn't since Brown was here, tbf.

There are 14 year old school kids who've repeated a grade to whom it is obvious that playing Ponga at fullback last year was idiotic when our halves pairing consisted of two players no better than Jaelen Feeney.
Click to expand...

Yep, the most frustrating thing for me over the past few seasons is watching Ponga prance around in back field when they have the ball, then switching to 5/8 in attack.

Playing Ponga that way robs the side of the supporting fullback role as the fullback is completely absent in attack. Ponga is too busy setting up plays to be worrying about backing up. In addition to this, the 5/8 that we did select has no chance of making his mark and earning his position, getting his fellow players respect as each attacking set there is Ponga taking the reins from them.

Not to mention the halfback is suffering the same fate as the give it to Ponga show rolls on.

My hope is that Ponga moving to the halves, allows a fullback whoever that is to come in and actually be present in attack, run the ball back hard on kick returns looking to break open the defence. Hopefully this settles the team in to much more defined roles of attack, playmaker, support player etc. Hastings at halfback doesn't need to be mr creative, but he has to be a threat with ball in hand digging in to the line ball in both hands putting the defence in 2 minds, and he has to take on the burden of being the 1st choice attacking kicker.

I'm looking forward to Hastings combining with Ponga. Hastings running to the line with Ponga in support, sometimes give it, sometimes pin the ears with a dummy.

Moving Ponga to 5/8 is such a huge structural change to the team that I hope it's like cogs slipping in to place and we finally see a team starting to function like well, a team.
 
New head trainer didn't arrive till after WC duties, so missed the first 3 weeks.
Doesn't sound ideal.

www.newcastleknights.com.au

Meet the staff: Matthew Jay

Coming to the end of his first month in the job, new nib Newcastle Knights High-Performance Manager Matthew Jay has praised the 2023 squad for how it has tackled what has been a challenging pre-season thus far.
www.newcastleknights.com.au www.newcastleknights.com.au
 
Article where Brailey says everyone came back super fit this season.

Says the squad is the fittest he's seen at this early stage of pre-season.

Says he is still doing some work on his calves, but it all feels good and he wants to play 80 minutes every game.

Says his backups are Mann, Crossland and Gamble - doesn't mention Kalepo at all.

www.newcastleherald.com.au

Why Jayden Brailey is confident the Newcastle Knights will bounce back

"Everyone has come back super fit."
www.newcastleherald.com.au www.newcastleherald.com.au
 
He mentions those 3 as the bench utility options in the same sentence he says he plans on playing 80 so not really calling them the backup hookers
 
Last year we just got positive story after positive story during the pre-season, but when the true story finally came out, it was clear that every camp and just about every plan was wrecked by covid or just plain bad luck with crucial injuries at the worst possible time.
There were times the guys were sent home with equipment to train them selves in their backyards, and those were the good times for training -the worst times were when they went off to camp and covid ripped through the squad and they all ended up locked down and in bed recovering, including all the coaching staff.
This year we sent them all off to a camp as soon as possible to get it done early. We haven't heard a word about what happened in that camp, so it was either a great success and we are quietly going about getting things right this year, or another ****show.
I'd like to think that all the young guys coming off a great season in Flegg have brought a lot of motivation and energy to the squad and we have had a really strong pre Christmas session.
The real training will come after Christmas. The squad should be cut down to just the potential firstgraders.
It's encouraging that they all look pretty fit, but we need another 3 good months.
 
I haven't looked through the whole draw, but for our round 4 home game and many others the NSW cup and Flegg draws say we will have 3 grades playing, and it looks like they have tried to get 3 games as often as possible.
 
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one of the week 8 pre season photos looks like Bailey Hodgson has on headgear with a camera attached.
I imagine they are getting an idea of how the defensive line looks from fullback.
Bailey is bloody loud at fullback - he never stops yelling - but I have to wonder is anyone understands him. At the Flegg game I saw him play you could hear him all over the ground, but he might as well have been talking chinese for all I could understand.
 
Article on Hetherington.
Says he has played 43 games, been charged 8 times and served 15 weeks suspension.
Says he doesn't need to tone it down, he needs to fine tune his defensive technique.
Article also says he is the fastest forward in the NRL by player tracking.
Says he went to school here, all his mates are here, Newcastle is home.

www.newcastleherald.com.au

New Knights recruit Jack Hetherington vows to keep playing with fire

"I've definitely worked on my technique, bending my back and dipping late, that sort of stuff."
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