Adam O'Brien replacement?

waynesworld said:
I disagree, last year we were ripped off in that home game against Penrith and really should’ve held on to beat Brisbane away. Thought we looked good pretty much the whole season just a lot more went our way in that 10 game run.
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I thought those 2 games were close to our best games of the year last year.
The rest of our early season form last year was dreadful though, and was getting worse right up to the streak. The loss to the Roosters with heaps of stars out and Keary going down in the 7th min, and then losing to the Panthers without about 8 Origin players led by Cogger was probably the worst games I've seen us play for years.
 
Everyone has been trying to work out what Melbourne does differently and try to do the same for years.
I'd say we hired O'Brien to try to replicate what Melbourne does.

My theory, it's because the players aren't under as much off field scrutiny and don't get big heads down there. It's just a bunch of guys who could walk down Collins Street and no one would even recognise them, doing nothing but work together to play football.

Newcastle is the opposite of that - our guys talk about not going shopping after a loss so they don't have to face everyone.

Anyway, we probably do everything Melbourne does, but our guys aren't as focused as a group because of all the distractions and people wanting to pump up their tyres.
 
In regards to Fitzgibbon, yes he was in good form last year and was a good line runner.
So why not replace him with
Lucas who is a much closer like for like replacement?

Instead he picked a noted right sided player, and off-loader and chose to use him as a battering ram. Given his limited off-season and coming from SL it also wouldn’t have hurt to ease KPP into the season off the bench and move Frizz in the middle.
 
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JOJO82 said:
Always liked Kurt as he gave 100%.... He did have a shocker here and there but could never fault his effort.
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Plus Obi never let him settle in one position . Has looked good for the dogs at lock in the games I've seen. Hope Obi does make Crossy Mann2
 
Newygirl said:
In regards to Fitzgibbon, yes he was in good form last year and was a good line runner.
So why not replace him with
Lucas who is a much closer like for like replacement?

Instead he picked a noted right sided player, and off-loader and chose to use him as a bartering ram. Given his limited off-season and coming from SL it also wouldn’t have hurt to ease KPP into the season off the bench and move Frizz in the middle.
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It seems obvious to us, but clearly not to AOB.
 
Well Crossland to me absolutely looks best in that bench lock role that Mann plays as well. They are energy players, and good defensively, so can come on and really create some momentum in that role. Playmaking isn’t a strength for either of them. So of course Crossland is our new halfback.

Likewise Mann got the majority of his criticism on here the season he was in the halves.
 
Standards, set them early, enforce them, drill it in to them.

It's BS to say players here are soft because they are well known, and idolised.

Plenty of sports on the planet are super high profile, players recognised everywhere they go, they still need to perform.

It's the grounding and standards that keeps their heads out of their arses!

Players go to Melbourne and shine because they are shown they can go right back to working a ditch. And then driven hard! On top of that, they have a coach that gives them a simple individual plan to follow in game and makes it easy for them.

Newcastle has a crisis of standards.

Work needs to happen in the head office also, have to get rid of Gardner and his cronies. Otherwise we are going to keep rotating through good people.

Honestly, this club needs a gould style cleanout.
 
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Kurriboy said:
Standards, set them early, enforce them, drill it in to them.

It's BS to say players here are soft because they are well known, and idolised.

Plenty of sports on the planet are super high profile, players recognised everywhere they go, they still need to perform.

It's the grounding and standards that keeps their heads out of their arses!

Players go to Melbourne and shine because they are shown they can go right back to working a ditch. And then driven hard! On top of that, they have a coach that gives them a simple individual plan to follow in game and makes it easy for them.

Newcastle has a crisis of standards.

Work needs to happen in the head office also, have to get rid of Gardner and his cronies. Otherwise we are going to keep rotating through good people.

Honestly, this club needs a gould style cleanout.
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Think Gardener just needs to stay out of the football department , just provide the money . Their is a cast of thousands there now . I'm sure Parr would be on CEO money. Let him & O'Sullivan run the show . Surely enough footy nous there? Personally don't think the Knights will ever have a stand alone CEO
 
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