NRL Round 1 - Knights Vs Cowboys - 1:15pm Sunday 1st March (AEDT) - Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

With Mooney free to play and Ponga 100% playing
Looks like Dane Gagai is the only player who we don’t know for sure if he is playing
 
I know it’s preferable for a right-footed kicker to be on the right, but it’s certainly not the be all and end all.

It certainly doesn’t outweigh the fact that Brown does everything else better on the left.

Here’s a novel idea, it may seem extreme at first but go with me. What if, we recruited an out and out halfback who plays on the right side, who also happens to have a big boot. Allowing our natural left sided 6 to remain in his best spot. I know, it seems crazy at first but I think it could work

Wouldn’t have to be an expensive word-beater. A young guy on the way up that can be trained to fit in with the rest
 
slotmachine said:
In the ****show that was the second trial, watching brown launch two or three kicks from our half landing on the Dogs 5m line was one of the only pleasing things. Notably one of those was on the left...
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Yeah there is no earthly reason why he can't be a left-sided half who puts in clearing kicks if he's right footed. Someone should tell Braydon Trindall he's not allowed to kick if that's the case.

The negative is that we don't have any elite kickers, the positive is that we're not carrying a non-kicker. Sandon, Dylan and Kalyn all have to go out there with the mindset that they're going to contribute to it. Can't be a team where it's all put on one guy (the positive side of this though is that none of them should be stressing about playing the ball on the fifth... if you see something, go for it, and trust that one of the others will be there for the kick).
 
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mullenmagic said:
“I’m assuming it will be me and Sandon [in the halves], unless Justin changes anything. I don’t think there will be any changes, but I’m sure all those boys will be in amongst it somewhere. It’s pretty good with the new rule, with (a squad of) 19, so that’s pretty cool.”

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Interesting quote from Brown. Also found it interesting in the pre game interview on fox sports he made sure to stress that he would be on the right side “today”. Sounds like they were just trialling some new combos and getting him in the mode for some long kicking.
 
Knights announce the squad going to Vegas:

Kalyn Ponga (c)
Bradman Best
Dylan Brown
Tom Cant
Mathew Croker
Phoenix Crossland
Tyson Frizell
Dane Gagai
Tyson Gamble
Cody Hopwood
Fletcher Hunt
Dylan Lucas
Francis Manuleleua
Greg Marzhew
Jermaine McEwen
Trey Mooney
Jacob Saifiti
Pasami Saulo
James Schiller
Fletcher Sharpe
Sandon Smith
Dominic Young
Marcus D’Acre (just a promotional player because of his backstory)

www.newcastleknights.com.au

Vegas touring squad named

The Newcastle Knights have named their 23-man touring squad for the opener, in Las Vegas.
www.newcastleknights.com.au www.newcastleknights.com.au

Notable omissions: Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana, Brodie Jones, Harrison Graham, Matt Arthur
 
I suspected Hopwood would be on the 'plane, even if it's just to give our future captain the experience.
 
So out of the 22 players travelling, 3 players won’t be named in the 19 men team
I’m guessing Manualeleua, Schiller won’t play and it will come down to whoever gets 19th man between Gamble or Hopwood with Hunt being 18
 
Best guess:

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Dominic Young
3. Dane Gagai
4. Bradman Best
5. Greg Marzhew
6. Dylan Brown
7. Sandon Smith / Fletcher Sharpe
8. Jacob Saifiti
9. Phoenix Crossland
10. Trey Mooney
11. Dylan Lucas
12. Jermaine McEwen
13. Tyson Frizell

14. Fletcher Sharpe / Sandon Smith
15. Pasami Saulo
16. Mat Croker
17. Cody Hopwood
18. Tom Cant
19. Fletcher Hunt

20. Tyson Gamble
21. Francis Manuleleua
22. James Schiller
 
Newygirl said:
I know it’s preferable for a right-footed kicker to be on the right, but it’s certainly not the be all and end all.

It certainly doesn’t outweigh the fact that Brown does everything else better on the left.

Here’s a novel idea, it may seem extreme at first but go with me. What if, we recruited an out and out halfback who plays on the right side, who also happens to have a big boot. Allowing our natural left sided 6 to remain in his best spot. I know, it seems crazy at first but I think it could work

Wouldn’t have to be an expensive word-beater. A young guy on the way up that can be trained to fit in with the rest
Click to expand...
That seems like a logical plan to me.
I wonder if anyone at the Knights have considered that?
 
mullenmagic said:
Best guess:

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Dominic Young
3. Dane Gagai
4. Bradman Best
5. Greg Marzhew
6. Dylan Brown
7. Sandon Smith / Fletcher Sharpe
8. Jacob Saifiti
9. Phoenix Crossland
10. Trey Mooney
11. Dylan Lucas
12. Jermaine McEwen
13. Tyson Frizell

14. Fletcher Sharpe / Sandon Smith
15. Pasami Saulo
16. Mat Croker
17. Cody Hopwood
18. Tom Cant
19. Fletcher Hunt

20. Tyson Gamble
21. Francis Manuleleua
22. James Schiller
Click to expand...
Love it, really hoping that’s the team and is probably our strongest possible team
I would like to see Lachlan Crouch force his way in sometime during the season
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Yeah there is no earthly reason why he can't be a left-sided half who puts in clearing kicks if he's right footed. Someone should tell Braydon Trindall he's not allowed to kick if that's the case.

The negative is that we don't have any elite kickers, the positive is that we're not carrying a non-kicker. Sandon, Dylan and Kalyn all have to go out there with the mindset that they're going to contribute to it. Can't be a team where it's all put on one guy (the positive side of this though is that none of them should be stressing about playing the ball on the fifth... if you see something, go for it, and trust that one of the others will be there for the kick).
Click to expand...
Have you ever wondered why there always seems to be a problem at the Knights?
I’m with Joey who claims it will be 4-5 years of development of Knights juniors before we are really competitive again.
Why does it take so long for our first grade coaches to teach our players to catch the ball, or to tackle properly(even though tackling is on the improve)?
Or to have players playing in positions without being confused with some hybrid role that has been an abject failure?
Or to have players playing their natural side to benefit the team and highlight their skills?
Coaches can coach players to be in positions to kick on the last, the game is as predictable as s…in this area?
Rugby league is a simple game, but we tend to make it confusing and difficult.
I’m convinced this is why Bellamy is by far the best coach of all players, not a show pony who has to have the best players to win games.
 
It is easier for a right footed kicker to kick from the right side of the field. I think Smith has a horrible boot and hopefully he can just run that left side attack and focus on unlocking the weapons on that Side.
 
mullenmagic said:
Best guess:

1. Kalyn Ponga
2. Dominic Young
3. Dane Gagai
4. Bradman Best
5. Greg Marzhew
6. Dylan Brown
7. Sandon Smith / Fletcher Sharpe
8. Jacob Saifiti
9. Phoenix Crossland
10. Trey Mooney
11. Dylan Lucas
12. Jermaine McEwen
13. Tyson Frizell

14. Fletcher Sharpe / Sandon Smith
15. Pasami Saulo
16. Mat Croker
17. Cody Hopwood
18. Tom Cant
19. Fletcher Hunt

20. Tyson Gamble
21. Francis Manuleleua
22. James Schiller
Click to expand...
No ESL or back up hooker but we have Hunt and Schiller and we already have Sharpe as well seems strange
 
Sheent14 said:
Interesting quote from Brown. Also found it interesting in the pre game interview on fox sports he made sure to stress that he would be on the right side “today”. Sounds like they were just trialling some new combos and getting him in the mode for some long kicking.
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🤞
 
When do they fly to Vegas? Can someone local @Owey see how the team is training to ease our minds of who is playing where please? Lol

On another note is anyone concerned about our forwards performance against the dogs pack. In the end we were getting rolled IMO. If Cody Hopwood makes the 17 great, I’m just concerned he is still a bit young.
 
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