Mathews and Ball 2023
- Thread starter Billy
- Start date
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Development is the most important thing and I think a heap of guys took big steps forward this year. A win in both grades would be nice, but from the clubs point of view, it's more important that we found 4 or 5 really promising players in both grades.
BETTERTHANLEGO
Tim Maddison
Considering we are at the bottom of the ladder in cup I’m stoked with our younger blokes even being in the big dance.
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
So with the end of the Matts and Ball seasons the players I have been impressed with are.
Matts
Connor Votano - fullback - He looks like he has everything you'd want in a young fullback - tall, fast, smart, low mistake rate, kicks really well, both goals and in general play, and if it doesn't work out for him at fullback, because he is tall, solid and is good under a high ball, he could easily switch to wing, and also has the attributes of a 5/8.
Will Rosenbaum - winger - he joined the team in round 6 and looked a bit raw. By the GF I thought he was one of our 3 or 4 best. He went in looking for work and all his hitups were classy, with him usually beating the first tackle and making very good post contact metres. He is a tall and athletic winger who looks like he could even be a very solid second row when he fills out a bit.
Lozi - Halfback - cheeky, scheming halfback who loves his work.
Most of the forwards also did a great job and should keep getting better as they grow.
Ball - I won't talk about Sharpe, Ferguson and Martin - they have already excelled at Flegg level and rep level last year.
McKewn - second row - big and powerful guy who plays full minutes and is always a massive handful to tackle. He should get games in Flegg soon.
Jye Linnane - 6 or 7 - he is a year young for Ball, so they might not use him in Flegg, but my opinion is that he has shown he is tough, clever, has a big motor, a good long and short kicking game, and pushed ahead of Blackman as our best half at this level.
Malachi Smith - hooker - He is a solid dummy half with all the skills you need. I wouldn't mind seeing him share the dummy half role with Nailagoliva in Flegg, with Nagsy playing an impact role off the bench maybe.
Matts
Connor Votano - fullback - He looks like he has everything you'd want in a young fullback - tall, fast, smart, low mistake rate, kicks really well, both goals and in general play, and if it doesn't work out for him at fullback, because he is tall, solid and is good under a high ball, he could easily switch to wing, and also has the attributes of a 5/8.
Will Rosenbaum - winger - he joined the team in round 6 and looked a bit raw. By the GF I thought he was one of our 3 or 4 best. He went in looking for work and all his hitups were classy, with him usually beating the first tackle and making very good post contact metres. He is a tall and athletic winger who looks like he could even be a very solid second row when he fills out a bit.
Lozi - Halfback - cheeky, scheming halfback who loves his work.
Most of the forwards also did a great job and should keep getting better as they grow.
Ball - I won't talk about Sharpe, Ferguson and Martin - they have already excelled at Flegg level and rep level last year.
McKewn - second row - big and powerful guy who plays full minutes and is always a massive handful to tackle. He should get games in Flegg soon.
Jye Linnane - 6 or 7 - he is a year young for Ball, so they might not use him in Flegg, but my opinion is that he has shown he is tough, clever, has a big motor, a good long and short kicking game, and pushed ahead of Blackman as our best half at this level.
Malachi Smith - hooker - He is a solid dummy half with all the skills you need. I wouldn't mind seeing him share the dummy half role with Nailagoliva in Flegg, with Nagsy playing an impact role off the bench maybe.
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Coach urges Matts players to stick at it after grand final loss
The Knights went down 32-6 to Canterbury on Saturday.
He also says 3 players have been picked for City under 16s, Kyran Blair winger, Diesel Hagan hooker and Ethan Jarmain lock forward (so guys who are a year young for Matts) and 1 player, Fletcher O'Doherty, has been picked for Country under 16s (because he played several games of Andrew Johns cup before joining Matts).
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Knights eye next campaign after tough loss in SG Ball decider
The Knights fought on gallantly but the Eels held on for victory.
Article about the Ball team.
Coach says 15 members of the team will start training with the Flegg side and he believes some will go into the Flegg side quickly, but that's up to the Flegg coach.
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
2023 NSW Women's Premiership Award Winners:
Coaches award - Tayla PredebonPlayers' Player award - Yasmin Clydsdale
Player of the Year award - Tylah Vallance
2022 SG Ball Cup Award Winners:
Coaches award - Kyle McCarthyPlayers' Player award - Fletcher Sharpe
Player of the Year - Jermaine McEwen
2022 Tarsha Gale Cup Award Winners:
Coaches award - Tiarna WestPlayers' Player award - Evie Jones
Player of the Year - Lilly-Ann White
2022 Harold Matthews Cup Award Winners:
Coaches award - Diesel HaganPlayers' Player award - Connor Votano
Player of the Year award - Connor Votano
Elijah James To'o To'o A'ava Faalua Award for Leadership:
Myles Martin - SG Ball
Celticman98
Shane Mackley
Good to see Votano stay at the Knights.
2025 be looking at FG the next yr I think. Knights better get it right. Looks like they signed his brother same timeframe too though I’ve never seen him in squads before? Must be getting into HMatts next yr
mullenmagic
Steve Simpson
Great news
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Long way between Mathews and firstgrade and many guys who look great at 16 don't develop, but Votano already looks tall enough and fast enough and has a strong build as well. Hard to imagine he won't make it all the way, and the only thing better than one Votano would be two.
Pure_Knight
David Thorne
Have lost our best SG ball prop this year, Caleb Garvie, to Canberra for 3 years