That was true but we also got a wooden spoon and lost 13 games staight until johns come back in that era. I think people whinge a lot more now and expect sucess all the time.
Adam O'Brien replacement?
- Thread starter jamesgould
- Start date
Joshhh
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
There's a reason why everyone is so cynical these days, not since the early 2000s have we looked like competing for premierships. When it's been that long with year after year of getting your hopes up, it becomes hard to have faith anymore. The majority of clubs have had their good years in that time, is it that much to ask for a good year for once?
All the time?! Once in a quarter of a century would do!
I always look at the Dragons side of 09-10 that rightfully won the 2010 premiership after sustained excellence. Some good players, no real superstars for mine at least until Gasnier came back from Rugby mid 2010. BMoz and Cooper were very good in their positions, Hornby, Creagh, Soward and Weyman were fringe rep players, Darius played his best football. Then guys like Young and Nightingale who loved the club and gave great service. No all time greats though. But they'd come to town (any town) confident in their process, invariably score first then just grind teams in to the dust. It took Bennett to go there to build that confidence and trust in each other.
Well we had Bennett and got us to a prelim final with a team that didn't have superstars......to me it clearly points that the coach is the problem.
We as a club struggle to identify good coaches.
Yes, I think the coach is vital in setting the vision, setting the standards and getting man management right. Too hard on the players and he tends to "lose the dressing room" at some point. This is where the successful teams have senior players who have stepped in and really reinforced those standards without the coach appearing to be Stalin reincarnated. Obi hasn't had this at Newcastle and I believe there has been a real go at filling that leadership void with the players who have been bought in. I'm fairly optimistic for a winning season, particularly if we keep our spine on the field.
I think our sliding doors moment that set us on the path to now was Brian Smith not seeing out his project. If Smith had kept going a couple of years and things worked out that Bennett took over Smith's squad, I think we'd be in a much better place. Smith would have handed over a well rounded squad with a winning mentality going on what he had done at Saints, Parramatta and the roosters later. Bennett would have been putting the finishing touches on them and we probably aren't still living under a losing mentality right now.
Well technically we have one a grand final in the last quater of a century, but yes another one would be great.All the time?! Once in a quarter of a century would do!
In all seriouness a lot has to come together to win a grand final you need the right team , limited injuries , good coaching and a bit of luck.
If every team was equal in terms of ability, coaching roster ect you would only win one on average every 17 years.
Kurriboy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
You can't just factor in a players personal drive and pin 90% of their motivation level on that. Melbourne often have players play for them and go great, leave and never play to the same level again. That the player is it?
You have to factor in culture. Culture comes from standards in the club. Melbourne have very high standards and have had for a very long time, since their inception to the league. Existing players know the standard expected, players arriving know what is expected, and everyone else if pulling in the same direction, driving the high standards and the player lifts to that level.
Bellamy has been at Melbourne a very long time now, it will be interesting to see what happens over a few TV rights deals once he is out of the place.
But here, at the Knights, standards have been low for a very long time, players from good teams come here and suddenly seem to forget how to play footy.
The head coach goes a long way to setting the standards and driving the culture.
It's a yin and yang thing, both have their responsibility to drive culture, the coach needs to motivate but carry the big stick as backup, the player needs to self motivate and have the drive to keep improving, compete with their opponents etc.
Dsaf commented that he let his standards slip, the Knights aren't likely to fire D-saf, we just let Klemmer go and pinned our hopes on the twins rising to the occassion. OB though, will get fired, and should if he can't take the right steps to get this team firing.
For mine we have been under performing since he took the reigns. If D-Saf has dropped in standards, the coach needed to pull him aside and give him the word, and if D-Saf still can't turn himself around, drop him and show him he isn't immune being mr big shot Origin player.
OB didn't, overall the teams standards were poor last season, that is on OB!
You have to factor in culture. Culture comes from standards in the club. Melbourne have very high standards and have had for a very long time, since their inception to the league. Existing players know the standard expected, players arriving know what is expected, and everyone else if pulling in the same direction, driving the high standards and the player lifts to that level.
Bellamy has been at Melbourne a very long time now, it will be interesting to see what happens over a few TV rights deals once he is out of the place.
But here, at the Knights, standards have been low for a very long time, players from good teams come here and suddenly seem to forget how to play footy.
The head coach goes a long way to setting the standards and driving the culture.
It's a yin and yang thing, both have their responsibility to drive culture, the coach needs to motivate but carry the big stick as backup, the player needs to self motivate and have the drive to keep improving, compete with their opponents etc.
Dsaf commented that he let his standards slip, the Knights aren't likely to fire D-saf, we just let Klemmer go and pinned our hopes on the twins rising to the occassion. OB though, will get fired, and should if he can't take the right steps to get this team firing.
For mine we have been under performing since he took the reigns. If D-Saf has dropped in standards, the coach needed to pull him aside and give him the word, and if D-Saf still can't turn himself around, drop him and show him he isn't immune being mr big shot Origin player.
OB didn't, overall the teams standards were poor last season, that is on OB!
And yet we made the finals two years in a row previously. Last season was a poor season, but its' AOB's first poor season. Give him the benefit of the doubt for this season. We aren't playing for GF's this year. Lets be serious. A good year is limited injuries and a finals appearance. If we go poorly again, with limited injuries and are getting flogged half of our games, then sure, we should look at AOB and change. But what if we are competitive, but still finish twelfth (ish) from losing games 6 points or less? Should he not get a chance to try again in 24 with a better squad again?
Look at Arthur and Stuart! Had years where they have finished well down the ladder, sometimes a wooden spoon and then in a couple years time, because of some stability and recruitment and juniors performing well, they make GF's!! That was with squads way better then what we had in seasons 20/21.
But dead set, the folk on here are throwing him out the door based off last year, when we had an insane number of injuries to key personnel and playmakers that were left playing on one leg. What other coach is going to do ANY good with conditions like that.
The mentality of knights fans lately is to get a new coach every couple seasons and have immediate success. Guess what folks, our top 30 weren't up to it last year, due to half of them being out and the Juniors and reserves who came in, just weren't up to scratch. Hoy, Randall, Musgrove, Momoisea and Saulo average at best. The top 30 this year is solid up to squad position 17, but still a fair yard stick away from being ultra competitive. AOB is doing his best with what he has, this year AT LEAST he has a half who will do everything to win and some solid back ups to help when needed. (just hopefully not for majority of season)
Give AOB some stability in the team and I bet you we can make a strong push for the 8. Recruit well next year and even MORE stability in the squad and we'll keep getting better.
Look at Arthur and Stuart! Had years where they have finished well down the ladder, sometimes a wooden spoon and then in a couple years time, because of some stability and recruitment and juniors performing well, they make GF's!! That was with squads way better then what we had in seasons 20/21.
But dead set, the folk on here are throwing him out the door based off last year, when we had an insane number of injuries to key personnel and playmakers that were left playing on one leg. What other coach is going to do ANY good with conditions like that.
The mentality of knights fans lately is to get a new coach every couple seasons and have immediate success. Guess what folks, our top 30 weren't up to it last year, due to half of them being out and the Juniors and reserves who came in, just weren't up to scratch. Hoy, Randall, Musgrove, Momoisea and Saulo average at best. The top 30 this year is solid up to squad position 17, but still a fair yard stick away from being ultra competitive. AOB is doing his best with what he has, this year AT LEAST he has a half who will do everything to win and some solid back ups to help when needed. (just hopefully not for majority of season)
Give AOB some stability in the team and I bet you we can make a strong push for the 8. Recruit well next year and even MORE stability in the squad and we'll keep getting better.
WE'VE LOOKED THE SAME IN DEFENCE FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS!!!! Tell me a season we have ever NOT been shot ducks when teams spread against us?!?!?!?!
danknights
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
In fairness we looked good opening 2 rounds last year then fell apart...... Coach had no answers
Bennett coached from 2012-15
Of which we finished 2012 - 12th
2013 - 7th - Prelim
2014 - 12th
2015 - 15th - Wooden spoon.
So he did good for one year, then left us with the oldest team on the planet and no junior system. Real great coach