Josh Reynolds

Kurriboy said:
If we are going with Pearce and Ponga as our sole playmakers, meaning Watson will play at 5/8 as a ball runner, we may as well stack the right side with tacklebots to defend against most teams strong left attack.

With Pearce on the left, and Pongs overwhelmingly preferring the left, the ball won't see much time on the right. With Barnett on the right side I have noticed him taking the ball with a good opportunity on out wide but he tucks the ball and runs it instead. Both of them together out there and Ramien might as well put up a hammock in attack.

Personally, I'd rather a proper 5/8 to give us another side of the field to attack, another kicking option can't help either.
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I've said this too, although I think we've got the tools we need currently and perhaps making use of our right side is more of a coaching point than the need for another player in the team. Pearce and Ponga definitely favour the left side although I think as time goes on and confidence grows, they'll use the right side more.
 
knightime said:
I've said this too, although I think we've got the tools we need currently and perhaps making use of our right side is more of a coaching point than the need for another player in the team. Pearce and Ponga definitely favour the left side although I think as time goes on and confidence grows, they'll use the right side more.
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Ponga looked good when he attacked on the right side in state of origin hopefully he can continue to work on popping up both sides would make him a lot more dangerous.
 
I think we definitely need a proper 5/8 otherwise what’s the point of having Ramien? If we’re going to give him a big upgrade and extension we need to start using him better.

Otherwise as someone said we might as well just put a good defender in at right centre and save the cash.
 
Kurriboy said:
If we are going with Pearce and Ponga as our sole playmakers, meaning Watson will play at 5/8 as a ball runner, we may as well stack the right side with tacklebots to defend against most teams strong left attack.

With Pearce on the left, and Ponga overwhelmingly preferring the left, the ball won't see much time on the right. With Barnett on the right side I have noticed him taking the ball with a good opportunity on out wide but he tucks the ball and runs it instead. Both of them together out there and Ramien might as well put up a hammock in attack.

Personally, I'd rather a proper 5/8 to give us another side of the field to attack, another kicking option can't help either.
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Comments from Brown regarding advice to the NSW selectors were that Pearce is a dominant half who prefers to follow the ball and not camp down one side.

I'm a little surprised Ponga sticks so much to the left, particularly when we have Ramien as a weapon on the right. I'd like to see Mann given some more time at 5/8 with the direction to direct more attack to the right. Not sure whether Lino displaces Mann or not, he's pretty unlucky to not have more minutes, but that's footy.

I was keen on the idea of Watson as a hooker for ages from a running and intensity perspective but had concerns about his ability to deliver quick balls from the ruck. If he can continue to dominate like last week while Levi is injured it'll be difficult to shift him. Some session with Buderus wouldn't hurt his game either.
 
I guess as a half, you see a possible option on both sides of the field, but one side has Ponga, kind of natural to go to his side I am guessing.

I wouldnt personaly describe Ramiens season as sensational. If we utilized him correctly and had a half decent right side attacking 5/8, he would be pressing for an origin berth.
 
His lack of opportunities in attack aside, Ramien has had a few ordinary efforts defensively.

It's a bit sad seeing him relegated to taking tackle 2/3 hit-ups out of our own end. Only one try all year and he had to push the 2nd rower out of the way to even get that.
 
packo said:
6 wins in a row and the team is playing out of their skin. It doesn’t matter who scores the try or what side.. Ramien has been sensational this season.
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Sorry mate I can't agree he's been sensational, solid at best and starved of opportunities. The one real ripper game he had was against Canberra and even then it was all in the first half, he went quiet in the 2nd half.

It seems as though Brown has the side set up with Mann and Ponga playing the same role in attack with Mann to the right and KP to the left, very rarely do they move from their lanes. Mitch is used as the link man bringing both players into the game, this is why our left side is so much better than our right, this is why despite Kurt being solid at 5/8 we really need to look at a proper No.6 not only to help bring Ramien into the game but to also help on the last tackle, Melbourne showed if you pressure Pearce our kicking game goes to ****.

IMO Sezer is still a great cut-price option who might be available next year.
 
Frank McWilliams said:
Storm showed us up by targeting Pearce and shutting down plays and any variation we had was poor.
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Bellamy decided to not go head to head with us in the forwards and had his big forwards lining up Mann, Pearce and Watson all game.
It's a bit of a compliment for our forwards really. Melbourne has never had a problem with just going head to head with our forwards in the past, but this time they used another plan.
 
They really rushed up in defence (some may say off-side) and really slowed down the ruck with their wrestle.
This slowed down our momentum, also the amount of penalties killed the games flow, so they obviously identified our strengths and had a plan to nullify them.
The icing on the cake for them was the amount of defence we had to do due to errors and penalties against, we never got on the front foot.
At the back end of the game especially when we went to 12 men the fatigue from the first half defensive effort really set in.
All things considered it wasn't the worst thing that could have happened, as long as we learn and move forward next game.
Melbourne played that game with real intent and really smothered us, but no other team will get away with what Melbourne get away with, especially in Melbourne.
It is a real credit to how well we have been playing, how seriously Melbourne took the game.
 
Chief Longhorn said:
Reynolds has just signed a two year deal with the Knights, starting immediately!
Announcement soon!
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Him and Brayden Musgrove might have a few things to sort out at training after Brayden put a late hit on him last weekend, and Reynolds took it pretty badly.
I don't know where that leaves Kurt Mann - bench hooker I suppose.

We have a chance to win games without Pearce playing, or even when Pearce has an off game.
 
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